The Afghan Whigs belong to a time when I was younger and less cynical. That time has now passed and the cynic in me dictated that the reformation of The Afghan Whigs, like any other, could go either way. I’m ecstatic to report that in this case, their reformation is a reason to get excited.
In their heyday (the early ’90s), The Afghan Whigs were an odd fit as part of the Seattle/Sub Pop scene. Mostly this came down to aesthetics; The Whigs, led by the always enigmatic Greg Dulli, were more angular, earnest and perhaps in the case of Dulli, deeply bloodied by experience, this forming the basis for their sound. That said, Dulli is arguably one of the most talented songwriters of that era, and here is where this reformation resonates: today, The Afghan Whigs appear energised and endowed. On this, the first show of their first-ever Australian tour, they sounded assured, intuitive, and even intense. For me, hearing songs from their 1993 masterpiece Gentlemen was dreamlike and majestic. The anxiety in Dulli’s vocals remains, quelling my concerns that years and years as a musician may have taken an indelible toll on him. He looks good – a cross between a young Alec Baldwin and Jon Hamm / Don Draper. Sonically, The Afghan Whigs sounded incredible at The Hi-Fi; a venue I hadn’t stepped foot in since I experienced Mogwai melt the walls when they played 2 shows there in 1999.
I have to celebrate the fact that material from Gentlemen formed the largest part of the set, including the magnificent title track, along with Be Sweet, When We Two Parted and Fountain And Fairfax. They closed out the night by performing the final three tracks from the also wonderful Black Love album. Once more, it was sonically brilliant and the subtle sounds which appeared on record were here in all of their glory.
In what will prove to be one of the shows of 2012, The Afghan Whigs in Melbourne was a fabulously sentimental romp which resonated as much today as it may have way back when. And that’s quite a mean feat.
BY STEVE PHILLIPS
LOVED: Watching people mouth the words to tracks from Gentlemen.
HATED: Very little about that night.
DRANK: Red lemonade at cocktail prices.
