The last time Neil Finn came through town, guitar-for-hire and former Smith, Johnny Marr, was also on board to lend a little extra star power to the proceedings. But even without this diminutive guitar hero at his side, Finn still gave his audience plenty of reasons to go home happy as he played an enthusiastic set filled with solo album tracks and Crowded House favorites.
Due to his large catalog of fine songs, Finn would have succeeded on the strength of his memorably melodic and smartly lyrical repertoire alone. But this boyish New Zealander also upped the satisfaction quotient significantly through his natural charm and biting sense of humor. For example, when a few audience members nearest to the stage started playfully floating paper airplanes in his direction and landing them at his feet, he spontaneously went into a spot-on performance of the aeronautically related “Leaving On A Jet Plane.” Next, he sang an equally winning snippet of Arlo Guthrie’s “Coming into Los Angeles.” Later, egged on by a few audience member howls of appreciation, Finn and band jumped right into the Western-y “Ghost Riders In The Sky,” without even missing a beat. But Finn is too accomplished a writer to ever allow the lure of the Karaoke Siren to drown one of his shows. He’s much better at being Neil Finn, than he is at imitating either John Denver or Arlo Guthrie.
This concert included some of the better tracks off the most recent “One All” album, such as “Driving Me Mad,” as well as some from the prior “Try Whistling This,” exemplified by “She Will Have Her Way.” Crowded House fans could not have been disappointed, as they were given the chance to sing along with “Take The Weather With You,” “Better Be Home Soon” and, of course, “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” “One Step Ahead,” which is an old Split Enz track, was also slipped into the set for good measure.
Neil Finn concerts show off what an accomplished guitarist he is in a way his recordings have somehow never fully revealed to date. When playing live, Finn gets an opportunity to stretch out and improvise instrumentally. His basic band of guitar-bass-and-drums was sweetened by the multi-instrumental and vocal presence of Lisa Germano, who played violin, guitar and various keyboards. Although some of this night’s extended versions of Finn songs may have been impressive, his final encore of acoustic guitar assisted solo turns, and a jangle-y and amplified reinterpretation of The Smiths’ “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out,” impressed most of all.
The equally pop-smart Rhett Miller, who is usually accompanied by his alt.country band mates, Old 97s, opened this concert with a sparkling set of folks-y acoustic songs. Many of these (such as the geek-ily winning “Four-Eyed Girl”) were taken from Miller’s new solo album, “The Instigator.” But to the great delight of this appreciative audience — which just couldn’t keep itself from shouting out requests — he also sang “Question” and “What I Wouldn’t Do,” both of which are Old 97’s songs. On stage, Miller looks a lot like Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. And while he may share a messy hairstyle and loose-limbed physique with that Cartoon Network favorite, this talented and articulate performer offered solid proof that such a similarity is only a physical one.