Jo and I tripped down to the Black Box in Belfast's Hill Street to see the former Men at Work legend Colin Hay.
I only started to notice his solo work after his appearance in several episodes of the hit medical sitcom Scrubs, as a wandering troubadour who eventually has his guitar wrenched from his hands to be smashed on a nearby wall by Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley).
I was amused by the music that I heard but didn't make a connection between this singer and his former band, known famously for their hit "Down Under" from their debut album "Business As Usual". It was at a friends' house much later that I found out by accident who he was. Jo was playing some of Colin Hay's tracks and my friend's dad said 'that doesn't sound much like when he was in men at work!'
I had been anticipating this intimate gig, part of the Belfast-Nashville music festival for a few weeks now. Jo was especially excited as she never thought we'd actually see this guy live, never mind in Belfast.
How do you describe a Colin Hay gig? It was like going to see Billy Connelly (as, yes folks he was born in Scotland), profanity, humour and all, only each story was a well crafted build up to a song. He was charismatic, hilarious and yet down to earth and brutally honest about his rock star highs and lows. He told a story of a hotel in Australia where he held the record for the most people squeezed into the venue, then several years later the record for the fewest.
He's done ok for himself though. After some years of obscurity he had that Zack Braff assisted comeback. He lives in LA and has a house in Australia, he's done tours with Ringo Starr and Paul Carrack. But then he talks about the aftermath of playing a tour with an ex Beatle, having to drive your own band around in a crappy van, rather than enjoying a luxury jet from venue to venue. He talks about those who have had 'good careers' like Sting, then curses under his breath. He dazzles you with example after example of his obvious talent.
Jo and I met Colin after the gig. Jo got her fan-girl-ing out of the way and had her picture taken. And after a kiss on the cheek, for Jo, and of course a manly handshake for me, we were on our way home, internally jumping up and down like school children at meeting and experiencing such a character.
I only started to notice his solo work after his appearance in several episodes of the hit medical sitcom Scrubs, as a wandering troubadour who eventually has his guitar wrenched from his hands to be smashed on a nearby wall by Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley).
I was amused by the music that I heard but didn't make a connection between this singer and his former band, known famously for their hit "Down Under" from their debut album "Business As Usual". It was at a friends' house much later that I found out by accident who he was. Jo was playing some of Colin Hay's tracks and my friend's dad said 'that doesn't sound much like when he was in men at work!'
I had been anticipating this intimate gig, part of the Belfast-Nashville music festival for a few weeks now. Jo was especially excited as she never thought we'd actually see this guy live, never mind in Belfast.
How do you describe a Colin Hay gig? It was like going to see Billy Connelly (as, yes folks he was born in Scotland), profanity, humour and all, only each story was a well crafted build up to a song. He was charismatic, hilarious and yet down to earth and brutally honest about his rock star highs and lows. He told a story of a hotel in Australia where he held the record for the most people squeezed into the venue, then several years later the record for the fewest.
He's done ok for himself though. After some years of obscurity he had that Zack Braff assisted comeback. He lives in LA and has a house in Australia, he's done tours with Ringo Starr and Paul Carrack. But then he talks about the aftermath of playing a tour with an ex Beatle, having to drive your own band around in a crappy van, rather than enjoying a luxury jet from venue to venue. He talks about those who have had 'good careers' like Sting, then curses under his breath. He dazzles you with example after example of his obvious talent.
Jo and I met Colin after the gig. Jo got her fan-girl-ing out of the way and had her picture taken. And after a kiss on the cheek, for Jo, and of course a manly handshake for me, we were on our way home, internally jumping up and down like school children at meeting and experiencing such a character.
1 comment:
aww man colin hay is awesome! it was from scrubs that i got into him aswell!! yeah im back into blogs tho totally forgot how to add links etc!! DOH! hows it been goin? tim
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