Glen & Marketa

I'd been looking forward to the Glen + Marketa + The Frames gig for a long time, and it began to occur to me this week that I might be disappointed because I'd built it up too much. More of a growing concern was that my parents wouldn't love it, as I had bought tickets for them as Christmas presents.

It was in the concert hall in the Opera House. I went in from Wollongong with Tracey and Rosie Mc. who had tickets as well, and met the 'rents in there. The 'rents were late because of traffic. They got there in time for the show, but not for dinner.

The show started with just Glen, and he walked out with his beaten up guitar. He got a really overwhelming reception, and you could tell he was totally spinning out and bewildered, humbled by the fact that he was playing in the Opera House to a devoted crowd. He did Say It To Me Now solo, no microphone and totally unplugged, just using the acoustics of the hall. It was just like in the movie when he sings it at night on an empty street. It was thrilling and beautiful.

After the crowd got their breath back, and following a bit of nervous but humorous banter from Glen, Marketa came out and they did Lies together. Second song in and barely a dry eye in the place. Then the rest of The Frames came out and they cranked it for awhile, and went back and forth between The Frames songs, Once songs, Swell Season songs, and a couple of covers towards the end.

They were all so humble, and blown away by the whole experience. There was a freshness and a rawness that seemed almost out of place in the concert hall in the Opera House, but not in an awkward way. I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

Marketa is adorable. She's so tiny.

I want Glen and Marketa to be in love with each other. I read that they were together for awhile, post-Once, but now they're not together anymore.

In sum, I was not disappointed, not in the slightest, and my parents loved the whole thing too. It's nice to give good experiences as gifts. Success.