Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
All the world’s a stage, and some truly understand what it takes to perform upon it…
The days of the rock arena, for some, are limited, the sense of testosterone excess is not in keeping with today’s cynical, even verging on the puritanical world where everything is catalogued by numbers, by the instant thumbs up, or the inevitable calls for cancellation because of the believed offense taken; and yet despite it all, the arena continues to fill, and those players, brightly displayed, the lights capturing the essence and well as the production, are there to thrill in every capacity possible.
From the world down under come Crosson, already a band that have joyfully stood on the high mountain and delivered to the masses below, the glam theatrics and rock ‘n’ roll delivery are not only inspiring, but a welcome boost to this rapidly prudish society inflamed by a moral outrage that is pointed in the wrong direction.
It was only inevitable that the band would seek and thrill the fans with a live recording, not only as they have been waylaid in their domination by ongoing global events, but after three successful studio albums, the time is right for the appreciative payback, and on the back of Spreading The Rock ‘N’ Roll Disease, Invincible, and Rock ‘N’ Roll Love Affair, Live At The Orpheum is the sense of the immortal cry to the gods that humanity is here to not only be caretakers of the planet, but to have fun whilst doing so.
If the mountain upon which the band sow their wild and creative oats from cannot be moved during times of locked down travel, then the definition of how they showcase the music must be changed and adapted; and in Live At The Orpheum what comes across is the audible twinkle in the eye and the shimmer of colossal enjoyment from the crown caught for posterity.
Arguably what Crosson have produced is akin to the greats of the genre in their live heyday; if an album can pin down the humour as well as the skill then it has done its job, for such an album pushes the listener to seek out the band in the flesh, to be part of the make up and D.N.A. of the journey and immerse themselves between the pulse of sweat and the character of cool.
Across tracks such as Everyone’s A Star, I Wanna Be Japanese, We All Need An Enemy, Weak At The Knees (For A Hot Brunette), Broken, Spreading The Rock ‘N’ Disease, and an upbeat, entirely groove wetting cover of ABBA’s Money Money Money it is theatre that prevails, the sense of auditorium role-playing hedonism catching fire with illusion and quaking floors, for life is live, and Crosson, those Australian musical thespians, steal every scene with a heartbeat covered in joyful enthusiastic brilliance.
If you want to banish the winter blues, then Live At The Orpheum is the album to aid you in your quest to return to the sun filled streets of music ecstasy.
Crosson’s Live At The Orpheum is available now via Galaxy Records.
Ian D. Hall