Los Angeles (USA), Feb. 20, 2007

By Jeanne Rice

Silverchair survives the teen band curse rising to fame at the early age of 15.  Few of that age would go on to survive a long successful career.  Now Silverchair is making a successful comeback after breaking up nearly 5 years ago and playing an occasional show in 2003 including two dates in LA that sadly were missed by many Silverchair fans, we’ve learned. 

Now once again they are selling out venues worldwide.   Silverchair has maintained their fanbase with huge amounts of respect.   Los Angeles was more then welcoming to the trio as they sold out two dates at the famed and historical El Rey Theater.  Seems fans have not left their side proving Silverchair to be an iconic band with lasting pull in an era of come-and-go bands, despite the bands stated fears that no one would care.  In talking to fans I found faithful followers including two whom had paid $150 a ticket to see their second LA performance that week.

Before the curtains were to open the crowd waited anxiously, repeatedly shouting “Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!”  With a stage void of bells and whistles and glamorous décor, elated fans screamed as Silverchair opened up to what would be a blistering set of their greatest hits starting off with the climactic “Without You” from their Diorama album straight into the haunting sounds of “Emotion Sickness”.   The fans sang loudly every word of the hit songs especially the melodic favorite “Across The Night”  and the first single off their new album “Straight Lines” which remains unreleased.  

The crowd only seemed to be quieted a bit for what seemed to be a deep affection and empathy as Daniel Johns sang his autobiographical “Ana’s Song” with as much passion as if it was the first performance of the dark, yet inspiring song.   Johns vocals were on cue and showed no strain, as it had in the morning when during a radio acoustic performance Johns stretched out his vocal cords leaving us wondering if he’d be downing tea before the nights show.  If one existed, the magic tincture worked.   Chris Joannou,  Ben Gilles, and Johns pulled it off and were in all their glory as if through the years they had never missed a beat, or ever been apart.

Johns, seemed to be in a happy place, enjoying everything the fans had to offer, laughing and interjecting a joke into the set to the crowds amusement.  But hands down one of the biggest surprises of the night was John's noticing a BABY in the crowded floor near the front of the stage attached in a sling on a young mothers hip.  Leave it to Los Angeles.  Joannou whispered into John’s ear and John’s, still on the mic, asked security to bring the baby up on stage and get them a pass.  The security immediately brought the baby up with his Mother and after John's looked at the side of the stage and said “How’s the baby?  Is the baby safe now?” he then returned to his set.  Moms across the world, this is not a recommended tactic!  We want all Moms to keep their babies safe and out of harms way.   

The set was nothing short of pure genius never leaving the packed house hungry.  Giving just enough to keep the energy on a high the entire set.  In both the Neon Ballroom and Diorama albums Silverchair had began experimenting successfully with the use of orchestra instrumentation not used in their latest shows.  The changes went barely noticeable and definitely did not create a lack of power in the performance thanks to Silverchair’s instrumentation talents combined with John’s powerful voice, and a bit of help from keyboardist and electronics master Paul Mac.  Some fans might have missed hearing their “Frogstomp” favorites that were decidedly omitted, but by the end of the night it was clear that Silverchair had indeed made up for it.