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John Butler Trio | Jack Johnson
The Forum | Melbourne, Australia | 04.06.02
The queue wrapped itself around the Forum in Melbourne, Australia on Saturday night. All in anticipation for a show that they never could have hoped for, the old building being the perfect venue for the intimate and ultimately satisfying performances of the John Butler Trio and Jack Johnson.
Jack Johnson had a modest fan base for a supporting act, although it was soon made clear that they aren’t just another support act. It's so much more enjoyable when you go to a concert and the band looks just as happy as you are to be there, and Jack Johnston was no exception. This is the first time I have seen this band live, and I am going to make sure it's not the last. I don’t know exactly how long they played for but I remained impressed throughout the entire performance. So was the rest of the packed crowed at the Forum, and everyone was happy to enjoy and wait for the Trio’s arrival. The highlight of the Jack Johnson performance would have to be the "slow down everybody, you’re moving too fast" lyric of the song "Inaudible Melodies." Overall, beautiful songwriting and a class performance.
 Then came the main act, which nobody knew yet would have problems in parting. The John Butler Trio opened with a new song, “ I believe”, that has never been played before. This was the first song of the best show value any one could hope for when paying a measly $30. The new song caused the first uproar of many of the night.
With a chair and a guitar with a butterfly on it, John Butler charmed his audience with his signature songwriting and amazing live sound. Completely at ease on stage (there’s no need not to be when this many people adore you and your music), he started what was to be an inspiring and exhausting evening. After performing the first two songs solo he introduced the crowd to the "fucking kickass" Rory Quirk on double bass and Jason McGann on the drums. And there it was, the beginning to a mammoth performance.
He sang through a harmonica, the lyrics slightly distorting through the tiny instrument; he played his guitar on his lap as if it were a piano, and he inspired all to never settle for decent guitar playing ever again. It was a struggle not to zone out and watch his hands sliding frantically over his guitar before snapping and wondering how long he had been doing this for. This was some of the most impressive guitar playing I have ever witnessed: he has turned the guitar into an instrument of pure art, the noises created with a slide and his pure genius with his instrument.
 With periodical diatribes about the rainforests, woodchipping and economic stability, he broke up and personalized his performance, expressing his opinions which were well met with roaring applause. Lyrics like "I don’t want no war… dying for business men" reaffirmed his steady views on the unfortunate tendencies of the power class.
The rendition of "Better Man" was awesome, but so too were the performances of all of his songs. The standard of performing was so high that choosing a favorite song is a struggle. With most songs broken up with guitar, drum or bass solos - which went on surely for 15 to 20 minutes at times - the audience was in true awe of such genuine musical talent. I’ve never witnessed such intense guitar work live; anyone who enjoys a guitar solo would have been in heaven.
At 1:11 - when we all thought that we were experiencing a dream, not a concert - they did an encore. Lyrics like "one thing you can't forget, you gotta treat your mother with respect" were well met by the adoring and exhausted crowd, who were just wondering when they would all drop of exhaustion.
The forum was empty at 1:30, which made this a six-hour concert. People lethargically spilled onto Flinders Street in a daze of absolute satisfaction, this being for many, I am sure, the best $30 they ever spent. This is one of the most impressive performances I have witnessed in a long time.
Erin Connal
JamBase | Australia
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