Woodface article
Read Bill DeYoung’s recent article about the third Crowded House album, 1991’s Woodface, at somethingelsereviews.com .
You can play the album in full right here.
Neil Finn solo – with strings – at Auckland Town Hall
Neil plays a sold out solo concert tonight with a 12-piece string section at the Auckland Town Hall. This photo, courtesy of Radio New Zealand‘s Brian Mahoney, is from this afternoon’s soundcheck.
UPDATE:
Here’s the setlist from Neil’s Auckland Town Hall concert on Saturday night.
Only Talking Sense
She Will Have Her Way
Something So Strong
Fall At Your Feet
Four Seasons In One Day
Last Day In June
Message To My Girl
Anytime
Won’t Give In
Distant Sun
Dive Bomber
Edible Flowers
Don’t Dream It’s Over
Better Than TV
White Lies & Alibis
One Step Ahead
Dizzy Heights
Impressions
Golden Child
Gentle Hum
In My Blood
Private Universe
Pineapple Head
I Got You
Better Be Home Soon
The concert was recorded by Radio New Zealand for broadcast later this year. Subscribe to Neil’s newsletter emails for details when they come to hand.
Team NF
Johnny Marr joined by Neil in Auckland tonight
Neil was a special guest at Johnny Marr’s Auckland concert tonight at The Powerstation, singing “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” and “I Fought The Law”. The last time they played together in Auckland was in 2009 at the 7 Worlds Collide concerts.
Neil Finn’s not so crowded house for sale
Where Lester lived…
The Finn family home which inspired some of Neil’s most famous Crowded House tunes has gone on the market.
Read the article at http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/69966464/neil-finns-not-so-crowded-house-for-sale
Artist In Residence – The Making of Records
Photo by Dru Falkner
Updated 1-7-15
Neil’s fourth and final programme in Double J’s Artist In Residence series includes his original demos of “Something So Strong” and “Private Universe” – which changed completely during the making of the records. Listen to the archived stream of “The Making of Records with Neil Finn” here (archived for a few days only).
The last few missing minutes on the archive stream have now been restored by Double J. If you played all two hours earlier and just need to hear the end, Neil’s segment is below. This is minus David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’.
Great Love – Hinges
A few years ago, in a charity auction for Medicine Mondiale, Neil Finn donated two days in Roundhead Studios in
Auckland along with production advice. Michael Burrows was the lucky winner and the results of those sessions are about to be released on the debut album by his Melbourne band Great Love.
Here’s a preview of one of the tracks featuring Neil on backing vocals.
Wrestle With Dad (video) – Liam Finn
Directed and edited by Liam and Neil Finn
Filmed by Elroy Finn and George Kannavas.
From Liam’s album The Nihilist.
Liam talks about the track on Stuff.
Click here for details of the Neil & Liam shows in Brussels and London this September.
Neil & Liam Finn – European concerts, September 2015
UPDATED THURSDAY 4th SEPTEMBER
The Bloomsbury Theatre is closed due to asbestos problems. Click here for venue change details.
Neil and Liam Finn will combine forces for three shows in September (scroll for more info).
Botanique Orangerie, Brussels
Friday 18th September 2015
On sale: Friday 26th June 2015
botanique.ticketmatic.com (English)
botanique.ticketmatic.com (Dutch)
botanique.ticketmatic.com (French)
Bloomsbury Theatre, London
UPDATE Thurs 4th Sept: The venue is closed due to asbestos problems.
Click here for venue change details (Shepherd’s Bush Empire)
Monday 21st, Tuesday 22nd, Wednesday 23rd September 2015
“Wrestle With Dad” – Liam Finn
Directed and edited by Liam and Neil Finn
Filmed by Elroy Finn and George Kannavas
From Liam’s album “The Nihilist”
Artist in Residence on Double J
Photo courtesy of Double J
Neil Finn is Artist in Residence this month on ABC’s Double J in Australia. Over four weeks Neil explores the elements that go into a great song, from the lyrics to the chords and melodies, the rhythms to the recording methods.
“The third instalment in my artist of residence adventure with Double J is all about rhythm. I’ll be playing some killer grooves that always go down well at Finn Family parties and some new songs I’ve discovered in the past week. I went searching the internet for a few recordings that would represent some modern forms of rhythm and to see if I could find a contemporary waltz. The only thing I could find was very dark indeed!” – Neil Finn
Smash Mouth on Split Enz
Paul Delisle of the band Smash Mouth writes of his love for Split Enz on Property of Zack’s Bands on Bands site.
“The breadth of their oeuvre defies any kind of categorization. And believe you me, these puckish Kiwis with the fucked up hair-do’s could downright ROCK YOUR ASS OFF live.”
Impressions – live at St James’s Church, London
Tickets go on sale on Friday for Neil’s solo concert in Auckland Town Hall. Here’s a hint of things in store. From Neil’s November 2013 concert at St James’s Church in London.
Newsworthy – Neil Finn interview
Neil’s interviewed on the first episode of TV3’s Newsworthy, tonight at 10.25, NZ time. The show will be streaming live at this link.
UPDATE 9/6/15 : Watch Neil’s performance of Distant Sun here.
See Neil’s interview here.
Photo of David Farrier, Neil Finn and Samantha Hayes nicked from the Newsworthy Facebook page.
ABC Radio interview with Neil Finn
In Neil’s recent chat with ABC’s Libbi Gorr he speaks about the force of “bluff and hard work,” how all creative endeavours are a combination of the former including his most recent album Dizzy Heights.
Neil Finn – Solo, Auckland 18th July 2015
AUCKLAND TOWN HALL
SATURDAY 18th JULY 2015
Tickets are on sale at 12.00pm Friday 12th June from Ticketmaster.
Frenz of the Enz/Official Neil Finn Fan Club Members will have an opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public from Wednesday 10th June at 12pm until Thursday 11 June 5pm.
For more information on the Club, email peter@frenz.com . Put ‘Fan Club Information’ in the subject area.
Some concerts you simply must see, and when it’s one of New Zealand’s most revered musicians performing at one of New Zealand’s finest concert venues it simply cannot be missed.
Playing songs from his entire career retrospective, Neil Finn will take the stage at the Auckland Town Hall on Saturday 18th July, 2015 for one truly special concert.
The set-list will range right across Finn’s extensive repertoire as he dips in and out of a vast catalogue that spans compositions he’s made famous with Split Enz, Crowded House, The Finn Brothers and through the course of his three solo albums, playing a mix of acoustic and electric, guitar and piano, as well as being joined on some songs by a full string section, arranged by renowned kiwi composer, Victoria Kelly.
Finn said, “I find playing solo to be a very free environment where I’m able to explore strange tangents, reinvent old songs, reminisce with friends and lampoon at will. I love it.”
Recent Neil Finn solo concerts across the ditch were so well received that he has extended the tour to include his hometown of Auckland, New Zealand. Themusic.com.au described the show saying “seeing Neil Finn live is like a comforting hug when you need it most.”
Neil is the patron of Medicine Mondiale, who have developed the Mondiale Lifepod Incubator. Each incubator costs only $2,000 and gives hundreds of babies in the developing world the precious gift of life. All of Neil’s profits from the show will go directly to funding the manufacturing of Lifepod Incubators. www.mondialelifepod.com
Soundcheck Sessions – photo exhibition
Stephen Dowling has photographed Neil at soundchecks many times over the years. His ‘Soundcheck Sessions’ exhibition is on now in London. More details on Lomography’s website. Limited edition prints are available too.
Sydney setlist, Sunday 31st May
Last night at Sydney’s City Recital Hall, Neil performed the final of four Australian concerts . He was accompanied again in the middle section of songs by members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra on strings with arrangements by Victoria Kelly who backed Neil on piano and vocals. Sharon Finn also sang BVs at the four shows.
And there was a surprise guest appearance for the encore by Jimmy Barnes!
More info in the fan reviews at the Frenz Forum. See photos from the Sydney shows at TheMusic.com.au
Sydney setlist 30th May
The original setlist from Saturday’s concert in Sydney’s City Recital Hall Angel Place. “Golden Child” was replaced by “Better Be Home Soon” and Neil briefly played Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”. See reviews at the Frenz Forum.
For the last of his four Australian concerts, Neil performs at the same venue tonight before returning home to his writing room.
See photos from the Sydney shows at TheMusic.com.au and read Rebecca Neilsen’s review here.
Melbourne setlist 29th May
The setlist from last night’s concert at Melbourne Recital Centre. “Golden Child” was replaced by an audience member’s request for “I Hope I Never” – a Split Enz sing written by Tim Finn, but Neil has sung it on the odd occasion in the past and managed to remember most of it. “Never Return” is a new song in progress by Tim and Neil.
Read fan reviews on the Frenz of the Enz Forum.
Neil plays Sydney’s City Recital Hall tonight and tomorrow night.
See photos from the Melbourne shows at themusic.com.au
Melbourne setlist – 27th May
This is last night’s birthday setlist from the Melbourne Recital Centre. In addition there were snippets of Anyone Can Tell, Cool Change and even I’m Still Here (thanks, Daryl). See fan reviews at Frenz Forum.
Melbourne’s turn again on Friday!
See photos from the Melbourne shows at themusic.com.au and read Bryget Chrisfield’s review here.
Melbourne tonight – Neil’s birthday!
Happy birthday to Neil from the NF Team. If you’re attending Neil’s show tonight at the Melbourne Recital Centre, it should be a doozy!
Here’s a highlight from Neil’s birthday in 2010: Crowded House, Johnny Marr and Connan Mockasin covering the David Bowie classic, Moonage Daydream. This was “Five years” ago, fittingly…