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Ed Kuepper & Jeffrey Wegener Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, Thurs 7 July Ed Kuepper is one of Australia's finest performers and it is always a pleasure to hear him play: and this night was no exception. His two sets added up to two hours worth of gems from his back catalogue, spanning nearly thirty years of music with drummer Jeff Wegener, late of Kuepper's old band The Laughing Clowns, along for the ride. Onstage the two appeared unbalanced at first: Wegener small and partly hidden behind the kit with the thin and beardless Kuepper next to him, tall and solitary, swaggering away. Wegener's tight rhythms cracked away in rapid little rolls as Kuepper stepped out and filled out the sound, the strength of his playing negating any need for a bass guitar. Kuepper was clearly enjoying himself, loosing off chords in great weaving swathes of sound from the two Fender amps behind him. His laconic but breezy nature and endearing, likeable persona, aired itself when chatting and mumbling amiably to the audience between songs. The pair worked their way through the sets, taking their time with each song, playing them out, giving them full breath. Highlights included Kuepper solo works such as When She's Down and Sleepy Head from 'Serene Machine' and a couple of gems from the 'Clowns. Messin' With The Kid from The Saints' first album was also given a good seeing to, before Kuepper and Wegener laid back into gentler, seedier territory with their take on Fever. The show made for some odd song choices and strange moments and the audience, though sparse, returned with noisy applause for this literary lyricist and exceptional guitarist. Returning to the stage for an encore, they pulled out Del Shannon's Runaway, seamlessly running into The Velvet Underground's Waiting For The Man before dissolving into an experimental guitar drone. Just what we'd expect from Ed.  |
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