Ed Kuepper Plays Live And By Request At The Gov – Review

Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, Fri Aug 8 It’s Friday night at The Gov, and levels of expectancy are running high. Ed Kuepper, a genuine one-of-a-kind, lopes out to his centre stage seat and selects one of the three guitars available to him. The sit-down crowd has braved the midwinter doldrums and just about filled the place. Kuepper begins with a couple of numbers that appear on The Return Of The Mail-Order Bridegroom, his latest album. The Saints’ Swing For The Crime and Rue The Day provide a near-perfect introduction to the evening’s proceedings, despite a string breaking during the opener. Kuepper is at ease with his surroundings; he explains, light-heartedly, that he thinks Adelaide might be jinxing him. He broke a tooth earlier in the day, and now a string – which almost never happens. The Laughing Clowns’ Sometimes (I Can’t Live With Anyone) is up next and it isn’t long before Kuepper once again celebrates his time with The Saints, performing Messin’ With The Kid – another song he has reprised on the new record. Taking the concept “out of the RSL and into the art-house”, putting on this request show ensures that just about every number is a crowd-pleaser. The requests, and the tunes, come thick and fast: It’s Lunacy, La Di Do, Real Wild Life and the Way You Make Me Feel all get a run out. The sound is magnificent; Kuepper’s vocals wrap almost dreamily around the sharp-edged guitar. He moves through his three instruments, and various tunings, with a level of comfort that is to be expected from someone who has been doing this since he was a kid. Kuepper handles the requests with good humour, enjoying the conversations with his enthusiastic devotees. The gig never slips from Kuepper’s grasp; despite the banter with fans, this is his show. Occasionally the chat gets in the way of the music, but that’s the risk you take when engaging with an audience. The show is littered with Kuepper classics, as well as a few novel selections. Electrical Storm, Black Ticket Day and Collapse Board – “the most depressing song in Australian music history” – meet with approval. The beautiful, sublime Everything I’ve Got Belongs To You is a fitting finale. After playing for almost two-and-a-half hours, a set comprising 25 songs, Kuepper returns to the stage for an encore. He ends the evening with a lengthy and intense version of the much-requested classic Eternally Yours, ensuring that most peoples’ wish lists are exhausted. by David Robinson Image by Judi Dransfield-Kuepper