Live Review: Augie March

Glenn Richards and his fellow players in Augie March seemed simultaneously humbled and nervous at the prospect of playing the revered Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

“We’ve never prepared more for a gig,” Richards laughed after getting his fingers tangled attempting the needling intro of Here Comes The Night. For one night a band that has been consistently labelled one of Australia’s finest and most professional over the past 17 years seemed to have something to prove and as always, something to say.

Henry Wagons was playing a sneaky set at the Opera Bar just prior to the show starting, and as the sun set over Sydney Harbour a cool breeze blew through and it seemed like the night was destined to be special.

Augie March professionally selected their set, dropping tracks from their excellent new album, Havens Dumb, between crowd-pleasers like The Cold Acre, and going as far back to the aforementioned Here Comes The Night. One Crowded Hour they decided to drop early, Richards laughing before he played it: “There was a time when we would play this song and the entire room would just leave afterwards; tonight we’ve locked the doors.”

The intricacies of each track, building and falling with the softly sung poetry of Glenn Richards, seemed amplified swirling around the high ceilings of the Opera House. There were a few fumbling moments between songs, and the banter with the crowd wasn’t entirely comfortable, but when the band got into the thick of the songs they were at their goosebump-producing, spine-tingling best.

When they walked off stage the crowd cheered for what seemed an eternity before Augie March returned for the encore, closing with The Hole In Your Roof, off their debut album. They may not have shaken off all the cobwebs from their five-year hiatus but they’re thereabouts, and remain one of Australia’s finest and most important bands.