AFL Round 4 – Richmond v Collingwood: Hunters and Collectors at the Palais

Friday April 11 approx 8.55PM at The Palais Theatre, St Kilda- “Welcome to the Republic of Hunters & Collectors”- H & C frontman Mark Seymour after the opening song of the the night, “Talking to a Stranger”.

Early October, 2013- I’ve purchased tickets to my first ever Hunters & Collectors gig. For April 2014. Love this band. Seen Mark Seymour solo 6 times. Was 18 when the Hunna’s split and haven’t been able to get to the very occaisional reformations that have been staged since. I note the gig is on a Friday night during footy season. What’s the bet the AFL will fixture Collingwood that night?

Mid October 2013- AFL fixture released. #@&* Gillon. Of course that was going to happen.

Saturday April 12, 1.55AM- I’m on the couch with a milo and press play on the recording of the footy. Can’t remember the last time I missed a Pies game either live at the ground or live on TV. But I’ve done the impossible. Avoided a score. Any score. Have not looked at my phone. No Twitter. No radio on the trip home, iPod only. My two travelling companions respect my wishes despite knowing the result themselves. Looking forward to the footy, though it’s a strange feeling knowing the game has already been played.

Saturday April 12, 2.25AM- Quarter time and Collingwood are 17 points up. It’s wet and nearly all players struggle to handle the ball. Apart from Pendles, who looks a class above the rest. Cloke drops a chest mark early in his 200th game but he’s not on his own. Beams, Swan and White also goal for the Pies while Sam Lloyd kicks a goal with his first kick in the AFL to be the Tigers only goal scorer in the first term.

Friday April 11, approx 10.30PM- The Hunna’s walk off after playing the main set. Heavily drawn from the great albums “Human Frailty” (1986) and “Cut” (1992). The brass section, the self named ‘Horns of Contempt’ are superb and an important part of the band’s sound. Barry Palmer is a guitar genius and very unlucky not to be included in the top 25 Aussie guitarists in a recent News Limited poll. The sixth song in the set, “Where Do You Go?” is the catalyst to get the whole crowd standing. We’re rarely seated afterwards.

Saturday April 12, 3.25AM- I’ve made it to 3/4 time. It’s not a pretty game. Collingwood is 42 points up and Richmond have only kicked 3 goals. It’s all over. Pendles and Beams have dominated. Macaffer has smashed Cotchin. One quarter to go. I can do this.

Friday April 11, approx 11PM- The Hunna’s first encore is one for the diehard fan. While “Throw Your Arms Around Me” is included, there are 3 songs from 1984’s ‘The Jaws Of Life’ as well as “Skin Of Our Teeth” from the self titled 1982 debut album. These songs aren’t crowd favourites but make my night.

Saturday April 12, 3.55AM- Richmond kick 7 goals in the last quarter, Collingwood kick 6. Very much a lack of intensity in the final term. The Pies win by 38 points. Richmond debutante Sam Lloyd has been super impressive with 22 disposals and 3 goals. Astbury stitches up Cloke, Jackson and Houli are good and that’s it for the Tiges. Apart from Pendlebury and Beams’ excellent performances and Macaffer’s job on Cotchin, it’s great to see Maxwell at his best again and Witts playing one of his best games.

Friday April 11, approx 11.05PM- The second encore has only one song, The Saints’ “Know Your Product” which has been covered by both Hunters & Collectors and Midnight Oil. What a band. There’s every chance they will never play together again after this no doubt lucrative superannuation. The packed Palais was very much entertained. The graphics on the screen behind the band and the lighting were first class. Money well spent by them. And by me.

I’ll be back at the MCG for the Pies game this Saturday.

Set List- Hunters & Collectors @ the Palais, April 11 2014

Talking To A Stranger
Blind Eye
Inside A Fireball
True Tears Of Joy
This Morning
Where Do You Go?
Stuck On You
Crime Of Passion
Dog
Say Goodbye
What’s A Few Men?
Holy Grail
Everything’s On Fire
42 Wheels
Back In The Hole
When The River Runs Dry
Do You See What I See

Encore 1
Little Chalkie
I Believe
Head Above Water
Throw Your Arms Around Me
Skin Of Our Teeth
The Slab

Encore 2
Know Your Product

Best:
H&C: Team effort

Our Votes:

3. Talking To A Stranger
2. Say Goodbye
1. Where Do You Go?

COLLINGWOOD: 4.3 7.5 10.10 16.14 (110) def.
RICHMOND: 1.4 2.7 3.10 10.12 (72)

GOALS:
COLLINGWOOD: Beams 3, Pendlebury 3, White 3, Swan 2, Elliot 2, Sidebottom, Blair, Ball
RICHMOND: Lloyd 3, Riewoldt 2, Newman, Martin, Edwards, Thomas, Arnot

BEST:
COLLINGWOOD: Pendlebury, Beams, Macaffer, Swan, Maxwell, Sidebottom, Witts, White
RICHMOND: Lloyd, Jackson, Astbury, Conca, Martin

UMPIRES: Findlay, Fleer, Pannell

CROWD: 62,100 at the MCG

OUR VOTES:
3. Scott Pendlebury
2. Dayne Beams
1. Brent Macaffer

About Luke Reynolds

Cricket and Collingwood tragic. Twitter: @crackers134

Comments

  1. Malcolm Ashwood says

    Thanks Luke entertaining as always and bloody great effort not to find a score out
    Have found it amusing re the bagging Macaffer has copped over his tactics re Cotchin he was a choir boy compared to Guthrie against Dangerfield in round 1 . The critics of
    Maxwell have gone quiet as I have said the tigers and blues would kill to have him and h would be Captain . Beams back fit is vital for the pies
    Glad you enjoyed H and C thanks Luke

  2. You made the right choice Luke. It was a horrible game.

    The Slab is on my list of all time great songs.

  3. I hath enjoyed many a refreshment at Cookie Bar in Swanston St on a Sunday afternoon to the soul DJ stylings of former Hunnas gee-tarist Marty Lubran.

    Thirteen Tonne Theory is one of the great Australian music biz reads.

    Oh, and the Pies are clicking along just nicely.

  4. E.regnans says

    Good one Luke.
    I’m a big fan of their Demon Flower album – glad to see back in the hole on their set list.
    Mighty disciplined and showing disregard for sleep, too, in watching the game straight after.
    Well played

  5. Luke Reynolds says

    Thanks Malcolm. Yeah didn’t think Macaffer was that bad either.
    Really happy for Maxwell.

    Dips- The Slab is a great song. They played it loud and well, was close to getting votes!

    Steve, Thirteen Tonne Theory is indeed a great read.

    Thanks E.regnans. Was very happy when they started playing Back in the Hole. Demon Flower is an excellent album that is almost always overlooked in discussions about H & C. Their final album, Juggernaut, was sadly overlooked on the night and the whole tour as far as I can tell, as was anything from the 1982 album The Fireman’s Curse (probably rightly so).

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