By Rob Goald
rsgoald@comcast.net
 

Silverchair
At The Joint
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
15 November 2007


 Silverchair’s Big Sound Rocks The Joint


Silverchair, the boy Australian grunge band of the 1990’s has grown up and matured. Touring America for the first time in many years in support of their superb new album, “Young Modern” Silverchair's fifth consecutive No. 1 album in Australia, gives the group more No. 1 albums than any other Aussie band in history, including Midnight Oil (four), and INXS and AC/DC (three).

Photo by Nabil Elderkin

There was no "Tomorrow." On Thursday night, at Las Vegas’s The Joint, the Australian trio Silverchair did not perform the first and biggest single of their career. In fact, singer-guitarist Daniel Johns, bassist Chris Joannou and drummer Ben Gillies even had the supporting punch of two fine keyboardists including Paul Mac of the Dissociatives project, but as usual it was the distinctive vocals of the once anorexic lead singer that carried the evening and his remarkable abilities on guitar which he played periodically with his teeth.

As major songwriter Daniel Johns’ teenage angst has turned into youthful enthusiasm and experimentation. There has been a distinct maturity in the band's songwriting. Gone are the heavy Sabbath riffs, the lazy adolescent poetry, and Ben Giles trying to invoke Moon or Bonham. In their place are catchy melodic hooks and inspired lyrical themes.

One of the most powerful songs in the ninety minute set was “Straight Lines”, an instant rock classic (an Aussie #1 tune) whose melody will stay in your head long after the last chords have been struck. Johns invokes much hand clapping and singing along as the set focuses on the sweep and majesty of the new album. Johns’ youthful teenage angst (he was a mere 15 years old when “Tomorrow” became an international hit) has turned into experimentation with dirty tremolo guitar and a band that is tighter than ever and on a dime can create a ferocious roar that only a world class unit could emulate.

Photo by Nabil Elderkin

 Towards the end of the set the band decides to unleash a bevy of tunes from the Frogstomp and Freakshow eras with “Freak” getting the biggest reception.

Before the release of their debut single, "Tomorrow," in September 1994, the group took the name Silverchair from Nirvana's "Sliver" (which was accidentally misspelled as "Silver") and You Am I's "Berlin Chair." "Tomorrow" became a major hit in Australia, reaching number one; it would eventually become the country's fourth-biggest-selling single ever, as well as the most played song of 1995 on U.S. modern rock radio. That same month, the band recorded their debut album, Frogstomp, in just over a week. Upon its release, Frogstomp became the first album to enter the Australian charts at number one, and it went platinum within a week; it would soon go multi-platinum and spend six weeks in a row at number one.

Johns, who started the set dressed with a skinny tie and white shirt, returned for the encore shirtless with his tattooed arms and slightly six pack abs in evidence. Leaving his guitar gushing feedback on the microphone stand he exited the stage triumphantly. It was another superbly staged show at The Joint, one of Las Vegas’s finest concert venues.