It’s a balmy night in Brisbane and a thick breeze builds. The breeze could basically be a metaphor for the amount of live music on offer once again in the river city. It’s blowing strong, and for those that have found themselves in the wonderfully air-conditioned climes of The Triffid, they have done so for one main reason, Robert Forster. Air-conditioning or not, one can imagine they would’ve found a way to see one of Brisbane’s favourites regardless. Some that have attended, have been finding Robert for over four decades, whether in The Go-Betweens or solo, in whatever venue, stifling conditions or not.

Opening the night to an already packed audience is Halfway. There’s eight members to take in here and the confidence in this Brisbane via Central Queensland gang is high. Led by singers John Busby and Chris Dale, the sound is excellent. They work over some tunes from their latest album ‘Any Old Love’ before playing ‘Oscar’, a track off ‘Outpost of Promise’ that seems like it’s been around for ages, before finishing with some new material. It’s assured stuff, and a projection by the band that their journey never stops. It’s brilliant also seeing former Go-Between John Willsteed in the mix with his soaring guitar lines, positioned up the back. Most importantly, he’s resplendent in big hat and coat.

Robert Forster and band arrive on stage to appreciative cheer. It’s clear the love for the hometown boy hasn’t diminished with age. He sets the agenda early with defiant pursed lips. Three songs off new album ‘Songs To Play’ are done. No banter. He’s got a new band in tow with Luke McDonald and Scott Bromiley from The John Steel Singers swapping guitar/bass duties, wife Karin Baumler on violin/vocals, and Chris O’Neill now handling the drums side of things. There’s a new feel to everything, but familiar at the same time. With everyone settled three songs in, they launch into ‘Draining The Pool for You’, a Go-Betweens classic. Things start shifting then for the band and audience, and Robert becomes a bit more playful. The punters love him camping it up a bit and he obliges them, whilst still holding something back. ‘Clouds’ follows, a gloriously stripped back version with McDonald and Bromiley in accompaniment. It’s one of the highlights in fact. The rest of the set continues in this fashion with some old and new, culminating in some familiar old faves ‘Head Full of Steam’ and ‘Here Comes a City’. Robert’s funny banter picks up into the set, remarking about ‘Songwriters On The Run’ that he has Tex Perkins and Tim Rogers in mind for the lead roles in the eventual movie. It’s not until the first encore though, that we really get to see him in full flight – a stripped back version of ‘Danger In The Past’. It’s a great reading of the song, Mick Harvey’s bass line coming to life via Bromiley, and Robert out the front sans guitar playing to the crowd. He’ s daring and camp all at once. Fans will well remember these moments at Go-Betweens shows, when Robert does a turn. It could amount to Robert running circles around the band ala David Byrne in ‘Stop Making Sense’, or perhaps him disappearing off stage altogether, singing from the shadows like some ghost of the theatre. Tonight, it’s a stripped back but flamboyant Robert nonetheless. It also emphasises what a great song ‘Danger In The Past’ is. If the set ended here everyone would of gone home satisfied, but in typical form he and band return for a second encore performing a further three songs, not one. Things finish up with a big crowd singalong to ‘Surfing Magazines’.

At the end of the night everyone departs The Triffid with delight written on their faces and some more Robert memories. In fact, this is probably one of the great things about it all, the shared Robert history. It’s so great to have in Brisbane our own significant musical legacy with artists/musicians that go back decades, like Robert Forster, John Willsteed and Ed Kuepper. Each performance serves to remind us all just how significant that culture is to our collective histories.

- Ian Powne