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On Tour With Paul Dempsey
Posted 27th Jan 2010
Filed under: Music
Filed under: Music
Barbara
Parks was the winner of our Paul Dempsey competition. She became a rock
journalist for two days, flying to Geelong then Hobart to watch Paul play and
meet him backstage. Thanks to EMI for making this happen!
So how do a podiatrist and a fire-fighter become transiently thrust into the world of the jet-setting rock press in the space of a few short days? There is an element of the surreal as the midnight horror thunders down the runway at Perth airport. Melbourne-bound I think of when I last saw Paul Dempsey. A solo acoustic set, Dempsey shared intimate glimpses of his early years interspersed with classic Something For Kate tracks, his latest solo album and a selection of inimitable covers. I can’t shake the image of a bleary-eyed little boy sitting on his mother’s lounge in the pre-dawn hours of a cold Melbourne morning. The way Dempsey tells it, it wasn’t unusual for his mother and her fellow musicians to return home post-gig and regale the household with a reprise of the evening’s performance; young Dempsey roused from sleep, sitting on the sidelines absorbing each note…
Friday - Geelong
Fuelled on two hours sleep we arrive at The Bended Elbow in Geelong. There is a heavy security presence which seems to belie the laid-back vibe of the crowd. Dempsey agrees: “You hear things about Geelong on a Friday night… but you’re nice!” He opens with “Fast Friends,” followed by the plaintive “Have You Fallen out of Love.” The crowd fall into a communal swoon and by the time “the blessed bells strike” and Dempsey’s voice soars to its magnificent best, it is quite obvious that there’s no falling out of love going on here.
The set list is peppered with easy dialogue, Dempsey is clearly enjoying himself. “That’s really disconcerting,” he says referring to posters of a minstrel-like Dempsey strumming a ukulele. “Down with Dempsey!” he jokes as the posters are ripped down.
Tracks from “Everything Is True” are interspersed with Something for Kate classics such as “You Only Hide” and “De Ja Vu” which transform the gig into a blissed-out sing-along. “Time to Pretend” (the MGMT cover) is delivered with gutsy enthusiasm and gets the crowd further pumped and hungry for more.
“Bird in a Basement” (dedicated to Dempsey’s grandmother Doris) is a joyous explosion of emotion. For reasons unknown, she referred to the young Dempsey as “Shite Hawk”. Another small insight into the rich characters that have shaped and nurtured Dempsey into the artist he is today.
Saturday - Hobart
The Saturday morning post-gig buzz is only heightened by the realisation that we are sharing our flight to Hobart with the man himself. I steel myself and cross the terminal to say “hi.” My reception is warm and welcoming, as I bumblingly reel through my prize list he is genuinely excited for us, which makes me more excited about tonight’s gig at Hellenic Hall.
Bad start: Fluoro lighting and cask wine. We are momentarily as dazed as the reindeer which adorn the stage as we take in our surroundings. Our alarm soon dissipates as support act Mike Noga’s grungy laments soothe our concerns. The mood is set and the lights dim. “This reminds me of my 21st,” says Dempsey as he launches into an even more relaxed reprise of last night’s set. I buzz the crowd for feedback on the night’s performance. “Emotional.” “Cleansing.” “Gob-smackingly wicked…” Take us to your leader Mr Dempsey: we want to be part of your tribe!
Great end: Dempsey’s manager Clinton Kraus has asked us to wait near the front of the stage after the gig, we wonder what exactly a “meet and greet” is… it sounds suspiciously like a “hi and bye.” The reality proves anything but and after introductions we settle in for a bit of quality time with our man of the moment. Dempsey’s welcome surpasses expectations; we discuss the night’s gig, books, wine and future plans… still so surreal. He graciously signs our cache of paraphernalia (to placate our Dempsey devotee friends back home) and we take a few snaps we know we will treasure. Despite the awe of an audience with Mr Dempsey, we can’t help but feel at home. For somewhere beneath his striking presence, young Shite Hawk hides just beneath the surface, doing his grandmother Doris proud.
So how do a podiatrist and a fire-fighter become transiently thrust into the world of the jet-setting rock press in the space of a few short days? There is an element of the surreal as the midnight horror thunders down the runway at Perth airport. Melbourne-bound I think of when I last saw Paul Dempsey. A solo acoustic set, Dempsey shared intimate glimpses of his early years interspersed with classic Something For Kate tracks, his latest solo album and a selection of inimitable covers. I can’t shake the image of a bleary-eyed little boy sitting on his mother’s lounge in the pre-dawn hours of a cold Melbourne morning. The way Dempsey tells it, it wasn’t unusual for his mother and her fellow musicians to return home post-gig and regale the household with a reprise of the evening’s performance; young Dempsey roused from sleep, sitting on the sidelines absorbing each note…
Friday - Geelong
Fuelled on two hours sleep we arrive at The Bended Elbow in Geelong. There is a heavy security presence which seems to belie the laid-back vibe of the crowd. Dempsey agrees: “You hear things about Geelong on a Friday night… but you’re nice!” He opens with “Fast Friends,” followed by the plaintive “Have You Fallen out of Love.” The crowd fall into a communal swoon and by the time “the blessed bells strike” and Dempsey’s voice soars to its magnificent best, it is quite obvious that there’s no falling out of love going on here.
The set list is peppered with easy dialogue, Dempsey is clearly enjoying himself. “That’s really disconcerting,” he says referring to posters of a minstrel-like Dempsey strumming a ukulele. “Down with Dempsey!” he jokes as the posters are ripped down.
Tracks from “Everything Is True” are interspersed with Something for Kate classics such as “You Only Hide” and “De Ja Vu” which transform the gig into a blissed-out sing-along. “Time to Pretend” (the MGMT cover) is delivered with gutsy enthusiasm and gets the crowd further pumped and hungry for more.
“Bird in a Basement” (dedicated to Dempsey’s grandmother Doris) is a joyous explosion of emotion. For reasons unknown, she referred to the young Dempsey as “Shite Hawk”. Another small insight into the rich characters that have shaped and nurtured Dempsey into the artist he is today.
Saturday - Hobart
The Saturday morning post-gig buzz is only heightened by the realisation that we are sharing our flight to Hobart with the man himself. I steel myself and cross the terminal to say “hi.” My reception is warm and welcoming, as I bumblingly reel through my prize list he is genuinely excited for us, which makes me more excited about tonight’s gig at Hellenic Hall.
Bad start: Fluoro lighting and cask wine. We are momentarily as dazed as the reindeer which adorn the stage as we take in our surroundings. Our alarm soon dissipates as support act Mike Noga’s grungy laments soothe our concerns. The mood is set and the lights dim. “This reminds me of my 21st,” says Dempsey as he launches into an even more relaxed reprise of last night’s set. I buzz the crowd for feedback on the night’s performance. “Emotional.” “Cleansing.” “Gob-smackingly wicked…” Take us to your leader Mr Dempsey: we want to be part of your tribe!
Great end: Dempsey’s manager Clinton Kraus has asked us to wait near the front of the stage after the gig, we wonder what exactly a “meet and greet” is… it sounds suspiciously like a “hi and bye.” The reality proves anything but and after introductions we settle in for a bit of quality time with our man of the moment. Dempsey’s welcome surpasses expectations; we discuss the night’s gig, books, wine and future plans… still so surreal. He graciously signs our cache of paraphernalia (to placate our Dempsey devotee friends back home) and we take a few snaps we know we will treasure. Despite the awe of an audience with Mr Dempsey, we can’t help but feel at home. For somewhere beneath his striking presence, young Shite Hawk hides just beneath the surface, doing his grandmother Doris proud.
