Review: You Am I at Dunsborough Tavern

You Am I at Dunsborough Tavern
w/ Lonesome Dove
Thursday, November 23, 2023

You Am I gave the Dunsborough Tav a reminder of why they’ve long been regarded as one of the country’s best live acts last Thursday.

With a blistering set of greatest hits and deep cuts woven together into a seamless patchwork duvet, it was a joy not just for hardcore fans, but for lovers of rock and roll.

Perth’s own Lonesome Dove opened the show in duo mode, with singer/guitarist Nici Ward joined by bassist Olga Sigurthorsdottir (once of Snowman fame). Ordinary Flowers, Sorry and closer Bully were among those lifted from debut album Sucked In, released earlier this year.

While lacking this supergroup’s usual punky punch, which may have kept the Dunsborough locals from pushing forward more enthusiastically, the sweet harmonies and call/response vocals certainly harked back to one of their formative influences in 90s pop-rockers The Clouds.

This was appropriate given most of You Am I’s set was indebted to their own glorious 90s heyday. And wham bam, Doug Sahm, it was a thing of great beauty to behold.

The You’s wasted little time jumping into If We Can’t Get It Together (1996), …And Vandalism (1998) and Mr Milk (1996). Prior to the latter, frontman Tim Rogers quipped “this is a song for the lactose intolerant,” and he was in sparkling humour throughout. There’s no doubting that despite the wide array of tours Rogers does outside his main band these days—just this year it’s included a Twin Set revival, The Who’s Tommy reimagined, and a Beatles’ White Album tour—You Am I is where he looks (and sounds) most comfortable.

Kick a Hole in the Sky fast-forwarded all the way to 2001 and was a blast, before She Digs Her posted high watermark record Hi Fi Way’s first number, with an epic outro to boot. There were plenty more to come from the 1995 classic (listed at No. 8 in the 2010 book 100 Best Australian Albums).

Mostly these came at the business end of the night, with Cathy’s Clown and Purple Sneakers guiding the night’s peak, before Rogers declared “This is an encore!” without leaving the stage, immediately launching into How Much is Enough then Jewels and Bullets.

It left only the night’s oldest song, Berlin Chair to finish proceedings. “Thanks for dancing with us, dancing is my favourite thing,” Rogers noted, before reconsidering, “…after doing heroin.” (It was a nice segue from the heroin jokes some may have caught at the Twin Set shows six months earlier.) True, a few more tunes from debut album Sound as Ever wouldn’t hurt… how about that tour, Timmy?

It was a night packed with highlights, also including ripping takes on Billy and Erasmus, plus underrated late 90s gem Plans. Plus, the windmills were back and Davey Lane was offering high fives on the way off stage. This was surely in recognition of a set that barely let up for a minute, as Timmy, Davey, Andy and Rusty reminded us they’re still probably the greatest rock and roll revue this country has ever produced.

HARVEY RAE