Seven Oaks Magazine.

One of their most recognizable refrains may be, “everywhere you go, always take the weather with you,” but, unfortunately, the members of the Australian/Kiwi band Crowded House did not bring the weather with them to Vancouver’s Malkin Bowl last night for their much anticipated reunion show. The initial venue was scheduled to be the much drier and acoustically appealing Orpheum theatre, but Sam Sullivan’s civic strike forced the sophisticated and well-dressed group to move to the Stanley Park outdoor venue that does not do justice to their substantial musical talents.

Despite the overwhelmingly soggy conditions on a rainy Vancouver evening, and Ticketmaster issuing refunds for those unhappy with the new venue, the desire to see the band’s much hyped reunion after a thirteen year break-up was clear from the excitement of the crowd who braved the rain.

The group has reunited at the initiation of lead singer Neil Finn and one of the founding members of the band, Nick Seymour. Finn, who started out in the cult favourite Split Enz with drummer and fellow future Crowded House member Paul Hester, went onto an acclaimed solo career after the group’s break-up following their fourth album in 1994. A major catalyst for the reunion and the production of the group’s latest album was the suicide of Hester in 2005.

Crowded House’s reunion release, Time On Earth, is dedicated to their former drummer, and was written by Finn as a cathartic release. At their Vancouver show they integrated their new songs from the latest release with the band’s classic hits in an energetic two- hour set. The pain of losing their friend was raw and evident, with Neil and Nick dedicating songs to Paul, as well as reminiscing about Paul’s antics during a show the last time they visited the West Coast.

The show illustrated all the members’ exuberance and genuine enjoyment of both their new and old music, actively engaging with their rain soaked audience, and encouraging the audience to sing along to their quirky and intelligent lyrics.

Overall, the reaction of the crowd indicated that Crowed House was greatly missed by their fans over their decade-plus absence. This seems to been a unanimous opinion throughout their summer reunion tour; in Seattle, Eddie Vedder even showed up at their show to sing along with the group.

In a summer of reunion tours, some obviously motivated by the bottom line more than nostalgia or musical expression, Crowded House has distinguished themselves in an often-cynical industry that is obsessed with glitz, glamour and over production. It is refreshing to see a group whose talent and sincere love of music can shine through, even through the Vancouver rain.