Andy J Ryan Apr 26, 2023

Even - Annandale Hotel, 20 March 2010

Former Go-Between-turned-music-critic Robert Forster had as one of his 10 rules of rock 'n' roll: "The three-piece band is the purest form of rock and roll expression."

Sixteen years ago when Even first started Australia was teeming with them, so much so The Fauves were prompted to pen a song 'Everybody's Getting a Three Piece Together', not many have endured as well as Even have.

Back in 1994, David McCormack - appearing here with the current three-piece incarnation of The Polaroids - was fronting the irreverent and irrepressible quartet Custard, who we heard a good dose of tonight. McCormack's subsequent band and solo work shares all the cheek and charm of that band, but deal with more sophisticated and grown up subjects, like taking out AVOs and executing ex-boyfriends for instance. It was all rather good and finishing with the early Custard track 'Caboolture Speed Lab' put us all in a nicely reminiscing frame of mind and cherry ripe for the arrival of the birthday boys.

Like an old fashioned sweet 16th party, purity is what Even is all about. This no-frills trio draw influence and inspiration from classic bygone British acts but add a good dose of local brawn and bluster to the mix. So while the guitars ring to the realm of the swinging '60s, the songs also still resonate with sweating Melbourne pub rock swagger.

Their songs are punchy little numbers bristling with hooks and driving drums that just cook live, a fact that has greatly contributed to their longevity and the large adoring crowd here tonight. Their lyrics feed off the endless source that is human drama (life, longing and love); 'Black Umbrella, 'I Have Nothing', 'Stop & Go Man' are also odes to the fact that they and us just love this whole music caper, with the magnificent 'Rock 'n' Roll Save My Life'. You get the feeling they'd rather elicit a physical response than an emotional one, with words phrased more by how they'll fit in with a reeling riff, rather than how they'd read in a book.

The set list raced throughout their vast back catalogue, and while requests are proffered, there was usually no need, as there are so many gems and so few duds in the band's work. But we did get a touching tribute to the late Alex Chilton with a cover of Big Star's 'September Gurls'. Though tonight was all about celebrating the birthday of Even, it was the crowd that got the many happy returns.