Northern Beaches Live - Gig Reviews - Grinspoon Lead Singer Solo Show at Lizottes Dee Why
Phil Jamieson live - kicks arse!
By Brett Turner
One Friday night, in a post-alert-decor-haze-October, it wasn’t just the spoons that were grinning at Lizotte’s Dee Why in Sydney but the knives and forks as well - Phil Jamieson took care of that.
This apparently natural gift artist seemed to be in his element at Lizottes, buzzing round the room among friends before his set, casually sipping beer, showing off his large pearly white smile, leaving me with the impression that he was really only doing these handful of solo shows just for himself -- just for kicks.
He had said to me in the brief email exchange we shared prior to the gig, “no major inspiration, no major thought process, I just wanted to do it.” Having said this he did later joke at the gig on this topic saying, “I just ran out of fucking money ... so hence I’m at Lizotte’s in Dee Why!”
This oozing comfort was transmitted to the audience when the Grinspoon front man took to the stage with guitar in hand, accompanied by friend, Ben, also on guitar - layering the guitar on guitar all simple. Phil's calm, relaxed and clean-happy presence created a very chilled atmosphere for the punters, “sort of wedding receptiony-ish”. (as he said).
After dropping the ball and missing my chance to 'have' a personal interview with the man of the moment (busy weekend) I was somewhat deterred to even show my face on the night of the event but was luckily shielded by my anonymity and was glad too as it truly was a show that would have been regrettable to miss. The man is a natural born performer or has at the least worked very hard to give off that impression with his fuck-off-elivs stage presence and charisma. There was something poetic and soulful in his performance as if the energy he was expressing truly was coming from his heart. (Thump).
With the hard choice to publicly express the turmoil endured over the past few years by this artist all done and good it was fine to see Phil making people happy and really appearing to absorb some of that happiness himself (really likehappy). This is something I anticipated after asking him a few days before the gig just exactly what a solo show from Phil Jamieson involves. He responded quite simple with, “Ha! It will be fun, that’s for sure.” But while I first interpreted his comment to be directed at the audience, I later took it to be directed at him himself.
Phil played a string of greats including some classic Grinspoon, in a very mellow and subdued way, but losing nothing of their original integrity, and also played an interesting cover of a song by the artist, La Roux, “Bulletproof” which the crowd, as well as I, seemed to love.
If you get a chance to see Phil Solo perform in a venue such as the one at Lizotte’s Dee Why do not hesitate and book a ticket straight away. For in short, Phil Jamieson kicks arse!