16 August 2014 (gig)
18 August 2014
Whether you love or hate her, there is no denying that Courtney Love is hypnotic on stage. Opening with Wedding Day at Festival Hall in Melbourne, on her ‘You Know My Name’ tour, Love delivered exactly what the audience were anticipating – feistiness, coupled with her unique gravely voice.
She may be in the tabloids for all the wrong reasons but you have to admire her style as she refuses to be phony. Regardless of public opinion, Love remains true to herself - a quality I find utterly refreshing in a business filled with fake wannabes.
Love launched into the eagerly anticipated Miss World followed by Plump from her 1994 “Live Through This” album. The audience were on fire and without holding back Love let her fans know she liked them too. “I’ll be honest, I like Melbourne better than Sydney. It’s just cooler.” And with that, the crowd were yet again whipped into frenzy.
It’s been 15 years since Love performed in Australia and although she is now 50, she still possesses the youthfulness of her past. Dressed in lingerie and knee high boots, the musician embodies a true rock star. Sure I may be biased as I grew up listening to Hole in the 1990’s but Love still has it.
Performing Gold Dust Woman by Fleetwood Mac, Love prefaced her performance by stating, “This is me doing Stevie, she gave me permission.”
Love performed all the favourites, including Malibu, Rock Star, Celebrity Skin, Violet and Olympia. “This song (Olympia) took me 3 minutes to write some time in the early 90’s but you still like it. I don’t know why but were going to play it”.
The encore included Northern Star, Petals and Doll Parts and saw Love handing out roses to the waiting crowd. She may have made some scathing remarks to some audience members along the way but that is the Courtney we’ve come to know and love.
Love took to the microphone for the last time and said, “Thank you – you have been a great fu#k%ng audience, seriously!” And with that, Love exited the stage.
Overall, an amazing performance by a woman who doesn’t hold back and says it like it is.
