The Go Betweens and the Brunettes

By RUSSELL BAILLIE

WESTEND/ST JAMES - Up at the Classic, a long queue hoping to see Anika Moa snaked down Queen St. Across at the Civic, folks in habits and lederhosen again ensured the tills are alive with The Sound of Music. Outside, car stereos - whose owners had possibly spent the day drooling on the sub-woofer displays at the Aotea Centre's weekend Music Expo - gave the main drag a brutal pulse.

But not that far from the madding crowds were the best songs to be heard downtown on this Saturday night.

Well, that's what we reckoned. We being the gathered thirtysomethings trying to remember the night we last saw the Go Betweens here, in 1989, shortly before they split. Then they were a five-piece, but this time through it was just singer/songwriter/guitarists Robert Forster and Grant McLennan.

In the intervening solo years McLennan made a bigger impact here, with Dave Dobbyn as producer and tour mate.

But on stage, McLennan deferred to Forster, who was wry of between-song comment, and dapper in suit and tie.

The songs, however, were underdressed for the occasion. Just two guitars, and two voices left strident old numbers like Love Goes On a little oomph-challenged, but shone a light on their often heart-rending tunes and words.

There was some fresh stuff from their first post-reunion album, a few solo era songs, and just enough old faves. It easily rose above 80s indie rock nostalgia and showed the Forster-McLennan songbook is as timeless as it is wondrous.

Up first, the Brunettes were a real treat. Not only are they the hardest working band in Auckland (they played at the expo earlier and at the Kings Arms afterwards), they are undoubtedly the loveliest. Their songs (from an overdue album) are time-warped, intricate, delightfully spindly things with equally bittersweet lyrics. Their brand of op-shop pop comes from the classiest of second-hand boutiques.