In my previous post titled ‘The Thrill of it All’ I expressed gratitude to Jim Kerr for unlocking the love I have for live music and going to gigs. And although prior to 2015 my gig-going could have been described as “sporadic” at best, there was a period around the mid 1990s when I did attend several gigs, particularly with my best pal Steven. They were largely Oz bands. I mean…the live music scene in Oz, particularly the bands that play live, have a reputation for being the best in the world – so why wouldn’t you stick with seeing homegrown talent rather than any of the acts that travelled the vast distances to tour Australia?
The trio of acts that were the top of the tree for me during that time were vSpy vSpy, The Cruel Sea, and right at the top was You Am I. In fact, the last time I saw You Am I in Australia was in 2015, having returned home for several months to be with my mum. It was a rare night out, meeting up with my old bestie Steven, a complete nostalgia fest – with You Am I playing our favourite old gig haunt, The Metro on George Street, bang in the centre of Sydney. Steven had bought a whole VIP experience, and I don’t know how he bloody wangled it, but he got me the whole thing as well (completely free). We got to hang out backstage with the band. I remember talking drummer’s talk with Rusty, having a bit of chat with Andy, while Steven bent Tim’s ear – I was FAR TOO intimidated by Tim to even say boo to him! Lol. It was a hell of a night and Steven and I had a ball.
Back in the mid 90s, we would spend weekends hanging out in the city centre and take the night bus back to Steven’s mum’s place in Ingleburn (south-western suburbs of Sydney). We’d stay up all night until the trains were running again and I could head home back to Mum’s. I can’t recall just how many gigs we went to, but apart from going to the Big Day Out in 1996 (I think it must have been….perhaps 1995?) – we always went to gigs at The Metro. We saw You Am I at least twice. Looking at the gig history on the band’s website, I think it must have been in April 1995 we first them, as I remember their album Hi Fi Way was already out when we saw them, flying high at number one in the ARIA charts on its week of release, and then staying within the top 40 for several weeks after. I think there might have been two other occasions we saw them – December 1995, and then September 1996. Each show was great and I came away from every show thinking that they sounded even BETTER live than they did on record. I never thought that was ever possible. And I never felt that way about ANY other band up til seeing Simple Minds.
To me, You Am I were an act apart for this very reason. I LOVED seeing them! When I moved over to the UK, they would tour on occasion. The first time I got to see anything of them when I moved was when Tim Rogers came over to do a solo show around the early 2000s. I can’t remember the exact venue now, but it was in a pub that was a live music venue, not far from the flagship Foyles book store in central London.
The last time I ever saw them was September 2016. Less than a year from seeing them at The Metro in Sydney they were in the UK, playing Dingwalls in Camden. I had to go!
Hi Fi Way has just had its 30th anniversary and so the guys are out on the road in Australia, playing both it and the follow-up, Hourly, Daily in their entirety. How I would LOVE to see one of these shows! No Metro this time – the shows are too big. They’re playing the Enmore in Sydney. A theatre I’ve ever been to once – to see a Julian Clary gig. The name of the tour is fab – the Hi Fi Daily Double Down.
I’m praying they bring it to the UK, but I don’t see it happening unfortunately. The last time they were in the UK that I can find was 2019. They played The Garage in London on 12 September. I’m unsure as to why I didn’t go to that show – possibly preoccupied with the sale of the OH’s parents’ house and moving to Glasgow.
If, by some small miracle they bring the show over to the UK, I WILL TRY and get to see them! It will most likely be the last time if they do make it here. I wish I could get out to Oz but there is no way that is going to happen. And now with touring being such a financial burden – especially for only moderately successful or burgeoning bands – it will be a minor miracle if You Am I do ever tour the UK again.
This band – long before Simple Minds were firmly on my radar – also helped to instil in me that love for live music. For that alone, I would absolutely love to see them again. I shall keep my fingers crossed and keep my eyes peeled for any news on that front.
UPDATE: Last night (Saturday 2 March) I started listening to this podcast presented by music journalist and presenter, Richard Kingsmill, on the story of You Am I, from formation until the release of Hi Fi Way. It contains interview extracts from the main band members – primarily Rusty, Andy and Tim – with the main concentration on Tim. There are also contributions from Powderfinger’s Bernard Fanning, the band’s manager, Tim’s former girlfriend, and producer Lee Ronaldo (of Sonic Youth). It’s a really in-depth and fascinating insight into all that was going on around them during the early to mid 1990s. I would highly recommend it if you’re intrigued by the band, or if like me, they were the soundtrack to your life in the mid 90s. There are three episodes between 45mins to 1hour in length. Give it a listen if you’re so inclined. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Listened to all three in a binge! Enjoy!
