You Can Lead a Horse to Water....

Our second day in Wellington we tried to recover from the excitement of the first concert. We did a little shopping and I picked up some cool boots and a couple of clearance shirt. Suus got two new jackets--she really needed them because she was feeling quite cold down here in the New Zealand winter.

I had picked up a pair of tickets on the trademe site (New Zealand's ebay) for the second Welly show so we were all geared up! We were in front of stage left which is right in front of the Tims (Finn and Smith). We arrived a little later than usual for the show (about 20 minutes before the opening act started) because I had a migraine (as usual--doesn't seem to matter what hemisphere we are in). When we walked into the venue, Peter Green was there with a couple of other Frenz looking for us. Seems tonight would be the night for the horse suit, since in Hamilton a family member wanted to wear it!!

As bad luck would have it, I was wearing a black skirt and my new boots which did have a heel!! Peter said I would have to wear the horse pants and horse shoes (which were huge and hard to maneuver) and then bend over and stretch the horse suit over me. It was a weird feeling but I was not nervous!!

We went up to the balcony where the horse was to appear. The audience was directly behind a curtain so we had to be quiet. Peter's flashlight had broken so he had a little one; I dressed in the dark with the horse suit. He gave me a short primer on what to expect and how to move properly without throwing him off the balcony. Peter was also gracious enough to take pictures; I will forever have a memento of being a member of the Order of the Horse.

The big moment came and we went out to the balcony. When we made our exit, I wiggled the tail and got a couple of wolf whistles from the audience. I hurriedly dressed in the dark again and then Peter escorted us to our seats. Someone was in them so he got an usher to remove them and we settled in for a second show.

Here is Josh's review from the forum:

Really great show tonight guys seemed as into it as they were last night. Crowd maybe in a bit better voice but still wellington sing alongs aren't the best when you compare them to other shows. Another big thank you goes out to pete green i think hes just about the greatest man alive. Thought the horse looked good tonight. Got my setlist thanks to john.
Part of me
Homesick
Message to my Girl
Six months in a leaky boat
A life between us
Wont give in
Suffer Never
Time for a change
There goes God
Angels heap
Nothing wrong with you
Its only natural
Anything can happen

encore 1
Better be home soon
Dirty Creature
I got you

encore 2
Stuff and Nonsense
Weather with you

Big thanks to Rene and Suzanne for there company of these shows and im sure we will meet again on the road
Josh



And here is my little impression:

agree with Josh about the singalongs; have been quite lacking in volume although the quality of the audience vox was good. Tonight's show seemed like it had more energy than last night's. Neil's voice seemed a little strained at times; jeez, the guys have played a lot of shows this month squeezed into a tight time frame...can't help matters in that way at all.

Suffer Never--I am going to admit something that will possibly make seem daft, but that song is not one of my favorites in the Finn repertoire. However, live, it is one of my favorite songs. Neil's guitar work is amazing and they build on it just about every time to a wonderful denouement, lately which has been its segue into "Time for a Change." That was the absolute best tonight. During this song, it was so emotional and raw. I kept thinking about this song in the context in which it was written in Split Enz and it made me cry. During the first part of "There Goes God" I was still wiping my eyes. However, TGG was also really good--and besides the rolling march drum beat in this song and its lyrics it's also not one of my faves. I have always appreciated the lyrics, though, and tonight they really hit home a bit because my own 6-year-old daughter has been asking questions about religion and I am puzzled like Neil when he wrote this song. Just another reason to adore their music--something to appreciate in every single song!!

During Encore 1 it was set up acoustically again and Neil did lead the singalong for BBHS at the end--not robust of course but still respectable. I haven't heard the full version of this yet in concert until tonight and fully expected to cry, but didn't. BBHS is probably the CH song that most hits home for me because of past situations in my life and strikes a chord deep in my heart every time I hear it. To be feet away from Neil playing it on the piano does make it resonate all the more.

Dirty Creature is always a treat to hear and this time it started with Tim on the mini-drum kit but then he got up halfway through and the band joined them again which allowed him to let loose in his signature manner. God, I love this song, live, on vinyl, and on video!!! Any way I can get it. Why oh why did the single go nowhere in America??? Dumb question with no answer except the usual one about the American music taste which is a very bad joke.

Stuff 'n' Nonsense was absolutely brilliant and chilling. Any song from Frenzy is automatically tops in my book to hear live or any other way, and I've been wishing for this song for so long. Could have heard a pin drop during the number--it was so beautiful.

Random notes--Jeremy drums his ass off. He and Paul really worked together for atmosphere during Stuff n Nonsense--sounded fantastic! Spotted Marie grooving offstage right....she really gets into the music and that is so great to see! What a supportive partner she is and a lovely woman. Peter Green--goes without saying, what a prince, thanks heaps for everything, you do the best job and that's no suckup--I'm no good at that anyway. The crowd at the NZ shows has been skewed toward more age brackets than I've seen elsewhere especially the older ones. It's so heartening to see people in their sixties dancing their butts off.

Am proud to have been one of the folks at the show who decided to get off my spine and dance during the encores. Who can sit down during I Got You anyhow???

Sorry so long and rambling but it's late and once the stream of consciousness starts it's hard to stop. Hope to hear more reviews of the Welly shows.

After the show we waited by the stage door and Neil came out first. He walked out seeming to be looking for me, and Peter pointed me out. He walked right up to me with a look of utmost respect in his eyes, and sincerely thanked me for the books. He said he hadn't gotten a chance to look over every last detail but he is sure he would and just thought it was such a nice souvenir of the mini-tour of Europe! I was just so thrilled to see a look of respect in his eyes (instead of abject fear!!) and he is the nicest guy!

Tim Smith came up and kissed me on the cheek--he said he was overwhelmed by the book and thought it was so wonderful that people were so into the band and the music. He of course remembered us from the conversations in Cork and Dublin and probably helped convince Tim Finn that I should be in the horse suit as well.

Tim Finn came out and while he was signing something for someone I went up to Marie Finn, introduced myself and told her I did the books. She said they were fantastic and then called to Tim, told him I did them, and he said, "Yeah, thanks....they're great!!" in his Kiwi accent. I spoke with the Staceys briefly as well.

We walked back to the hotel, and during the walk it dawned on me that I actually had worn the same horse pants that Tim & Neil wear during the Edible Flowers video! That is SO cool there just aren't words for it....

More tomorrow about our last day in Welly, our visit to Te Papa museum and our celebrity moment in Wellington!