Paul Kelly - The Toff in Town (The Story So Far), 24 November 2013

You don't often get an opportunity to see someone like Paul Kelly at a venue as small as the Toff, so when you do, it's tough to pass up. Obviously others had the same idea, because there was an enormous line when I turned up (partly caused by some poor organisation). There had barely been time to get everyone in before the show started. The Story So Far is a RRR show where musicians perform and discuss there history and influences. The questions weren't always very good, but it was interesting to hear about Paul Kelly's favourite songs, particularly because, with one exception, they weren't even close to the type of thing I would have picked.

As I say everytime I post an acoustic show like this, these are the hardest shows to record. I think I'm slowly getting better, because this isn't too bad. But anyone who wants to can wait until this is broadcast (it was videoed, but I don't know when it'll be shown).

https://mega.co.nz/#F!hVFAhChA!YZ3Qv1q64eEpg7pTEu2tVw

Neil Finn & Paul Kelly - Live from Sydney

I know someone who saw the Rolling Stones on their in/famous of Australia in 1973. There have only been a handful of tours/shows that I've seen where I think in twenty or thirty years people will be impressed (or even remember the band), but I certainly expect to have conversations in the future with people who find it unbelieveable that Neil Finn and Paul Kelly toured together and shared a stage and sang on each others songs.

For anyone that finds it hard to believe I can point them to this recording. It comes from the webcast of their final show of the tour at the Sydney Opera House. The set, as it was for the entire tour, is extensive and varied. The highlights are too many to mention (but if you insisted, it'd be hard to go past the two songs of each others that they sing on their own - Into Temptation and You Can Put Your Shoes Under My Bed). I might seem like I'm giving this show a big wrap, but I've been listening to this pretty much non-stop for the last week or so.

Unfortunately, while the sound is great, given its source, there were a couple of points where the sound dropped out (for some reason it's Kelly's songs that are affected - Before Too Long and One for the Ages). I've cut the silence, which makes it possible to miss them if you aren't paying attention, but they are a little annoying if you're listening closely.

As an added bonus I've included the short promo they produced, which includes snippets of a few songs in rehearal and some short interviews, plus the three songs they performed at the official tour announcement (also at the Sydney Opera House). The three songs are just the two of them performing with acoustic guitars, so are a little different to the performances from the show (particularly You Can Put Your Shoes Under My Bed, which was played on piano at the show).

Regardless of whether you attended this show, or any show on the tour, this is a must have for anyone who wants to hear two living legends at the height of their game.

[Almost forgot, for anyone who is a bit sensitive - the show does feature the use of a fairly rude word (what Neil describes eupemistically as 'the A word and the C word', before actually saying both)]

Don't Stand So Close to the Window
Four Seasons in One Day
Before Too Long
She Will Have Her Way
One for the Ages
Not the Girl You Think You Are
Sinner
Careless
Leaps and Bounds
Won't Give In
Only Talking Sense
New Found Year
Into Temptation
You Can Put Your Shoes Uner My Bed
They Though I Was Asleep
Private Universe
One Step Ahead
Dumb Things
Deeper Water
Better Be Home Soon
How to Make Gravy
Distant Sun

Winter Coat
Fall At Your Feet
To Her Door
Don't Dream It's Over

Love is the Law
Message to My Girl
Words of Love

Moon River

Bonus Tracks:
Romp Through Australia 2013
Into Temptation
You Can Put Your Shoes Under My Bed
Leaps and Bounds

[Link removed - this is to be officially released as 'Goin' My Way]

Paul Kelly & Neil Finn - 4 March 2013, The Palais

This was the second show of the tour I attended and it was definitely worthwhile. For a start, I think the show works much better in a theatre (parts of it were clearly designed specifically for that, such as the start where the lights are off and they come out and play the first song with lanterns (doesn't work well in the day)). They also played for half an hour longer than at A Day on the Green, and had a better crowd.

The show itself is really great. They play a lot of songs, and mix it up - a particular highlight are the songs written by the other that they sing themselves (Into Temptation for Kelly and You Can Put Your Shoes Under My Bed for Finn), but they also contribute to various parts of each others songs for the whole night. This also has the benefit of (at least for me) forcing you to listen more intently to songs you're very familiar with. For instance, I realised just what a great song Into Temptation is. With back catalogues like these guys have there will always be songs that don't get played, but it'd be unfair to complain when they play for 2 and a half hours.

Soundwise, the crowd is very respectful, but I ended up seated right in front of the speaker stack, which meant things were louder than expected and I get a bit of distortion in the recording. It's mainly noticeable during the loud songs and towards the end of the show when the volumes are turned up. Having said that, it doesn't ruin the recording, and until the audio from their Sydney webcast is available this is (to the best of my knowledge) the best quality recording of one of their shows available (update: apparently one of the other Palais shows is available on dimeadozen. I haven't listened to it, so can't comment on the quality).

Don't Stand So Close to the Window
Four Seasons in One Day
Before Too Long
She Will Have Her Way
For the Ages
Not the Girl You Think You Are
Sinner
Careless
Leaps and Bounds
Won't Give In
Only Talking Sense
From St Kilda to King's Cross
Into Temptation
You Can Put Your Shoes Under My Bed
Start Today Again
Private Universe
One Step Ahead
Dumb Things
Deeper Water
I Got You
How to Make Gravy
Distant Sun

Winter Coat
Fall At Your Feet
To Her Door
Don't Dream It's Over

Love is the Law
Message to My Girl
Words of Love 

http://www.mediafire.com/?m5a6vcavla5jo 

Paul Kelly & Neil Finn - A Day on the Green, 2 March 2013

As promised a few shows coming up. The sound for this one isn't perfect as I ended seating close to the speaker stack, plus there was a lot of talking. Despite that, this series of shows has been pretty outstanding and I'm not aware of any other recordings floating around. I've got one of the Palais shows to put up soon. If you went to this show get it, but if you just want the best quality recording of any show, wait for the Palais show, which is longer and better audio quality (although not perfect).

Don’t Stand So Close to the Window

Four Seasons in One Day

Before Too Long

She Will Have Her Way

Message to My Girl

Careless

Leaps and Bounds

Won’t Give In

New Found Year

Into Temptation

You Can Put Your Shoes Under My Bed

From St. Kilda to King’s Cross

Private Universe

One Step Ahead

Dumb Things

Deeper Water

I Got You

Better Be Home Soon

How to Make Gravy

Distant Sun

Love is the Law

Fall At Your Feet

To Her Door

Don’t Dream It’s Over

Words of Love

 http://www.mediafire.com/?4wrk6c153hccy