The Whitlams @ The Gov, September ’09

I lived in Perth circa ’96-’99 and it was around this time The Whitlams had huge success with their Eternal Nightcap album. I enjoyed the album and it was a favourite in the share house I lived in. Around that time I saw them play the “Eternal Nightcap” tour at The Ozone bar in Northbridge and enjoyed the intimacy of the venue and story telling within the songs. The band went on to release a number of albums after Eternal Nightcap, however they were somewhat lost on me. They never seemed to be able to re-capture that vibe again. Or maybe it was just my circumstances changed, along with my taste in music?

Fast forward many years and shift from WA to SA and the band announced a “Eternal Nightcap” tour with a show at the Gov – much like other bands celebrating the anniversary of particular albums by playing the entire album from go to woe.

I rocked up just as No Aphrodisiac – the albums opener and possibly their best track was commencing. From the back of the sold out Gov I sussed a spot right next to the stage and the speaker stack and right next to Tim Freedman. Maybe it was too close, because there was no one there already??

I got my close shots with the 24-70 and then moved around the venue using the 70-200.

After completing the entire album they went off stage for the first of three encores (??) returning each time to a thunder of applause. They certainly have not lost anything, the crowd lapped up every song offered, particularly closing number (and the track that gave the band initial interest from a mainstream audience) “I Make Hamburgers”.

Photographically The Whitlams are tedious to shoot. Aside from a small variety of facial expressions from Tim Freedman, there is not a lot going on visually. I got what I thought was a good representation of the show here in these shots.