The Church Tickets

We are blessed (no pun intended) with the luxury of the Church still wanting to perform for American audiences. I have become an avid Church fan again due to their most recent albums FORGET YOURSELF, UNINVITED LIKE THE CLOUDS, UNTITLED #23, and the acoustic releases EL MOMENTO DESCUIDADO and EL MOMENTO SIGUIENTE. The band is largely forgotten in the states but anyone lucky enough to attend this show was treated to a night of shimmering, psychedelic, guitar rock/pop. There were many highlights - the complete UNTITLED #23 and PRIEST=AURA albums, but the most impressionable were the album tracks or non-hits from STARFISH. "Blood Money", "A New Season", "Spark", "North South East West", and "Hotel Womb" made the case on their own why STARFISH is a timeless, classic album by one of the greatest bands in rock and roll.

Atlanta was last stop on their month long tour. Their voices showed it. Could hardly hear lyrics over the music. I was worried they wouldn't make it to the end of the performance. Very little interaction with the audience, probably trying to preserve voice. Nothing like their last concert at the Variety. Hopefully Atlanta will be the first stop on their next tour.

Steve Kilbey and co. brought the goods. Untitled 23 was absolutely sublime in all of it's ethereal glory. Priest=Aura's sound was stunning. The band captured the feel of the album note for note and Starfish, well, let's just say I can now die happy that I have seen The Church live!

The most brilliant rock band in the entire universe. Remember to hydrate; they play all night!

PERFECT .STARFISH WAS THE FIRST CONCERT I HAD EVER SEEN .I WAS ONLY 15.THEY ARE MY FAVORITE BAND.

The Church are at such a new height these days. I would say more popular than they have been in 10 years. Steve Kilbey's voice and performance is a must see. I'm serious, you haven't seen this Steve Kilbey. This tour is a must see. 3 perfect albums performed perfectly! This goes down as one of the best shows I've ever seen.

Pulsating rhythms and cool atmospheres washed over the faithfull followers of Austrailian rock band, The Church, as they performed three of their albums in their entirety in Foxboro, Ma on Friday night. It was evident from the opener, 'Cobalt Blue' from their newest release, Untiltled # 23, that Steve Kilbey was in good voice as were the guitars of Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes who engaged in a spirited and sublime dialogue throughout the nearly four hour show. Highlights, and there were many, included a edgier version of Angel Street which built in tension and complexity and the grandiose Anchorage presented as a seven musician collaboration creating a full, soulful soundscape. After a short break, the band presented Priest=Aura. An ethereal record lost in the early 90's grunge movement and promoted as a 'briliant album' by Kilbey, who was right on in his assessment. From the swirling mist of Aura through the last ringing chords of Film the band captured the dark and moody essence of the work which also hit tumultuous high spots as Feel, Kings, The Disillusionist and Chaos rocked hard. On Kings in particlular, drummer Tim Powles laid a groove that pounded the chest and quickened the pulse. Another short intermission and the band returned to belt out Starfish, which put The Church on the map in the USA, and around the world, in the late eighties. Highlights here included a smokey Destination, Under the Milky Way (their biggest hit), MWP's Sparks, PK's A New Season and the closer, Hotel Womb which reverberated as the band left the stage. I have been to many Church shows, but this , to me, was the best, as they poured thier heart and soul into the performance and brought their fans to a different space. I still haven't quite returned.

This will be my 5th time seeing this band live in my 3rd city and every time I see them I wish it would never end. They are definately one of my favorite bands! This show was a clever change from the normal show that splices old and new songs. It ended up being pretty long with 3 albums played in thier entirety, especially since the most recent had longer songs, but since the venue at Foxboro was seated it was not so bad. I would still recomend seeing them at a standing venue like the Troc in Philly, but wear comfy shoes :) Maybe I'm just getting old...A fabulous band with timeless songs that is super tight and still seem to enjoy doing what they do, perfection!

It was an interesting concept, to play through 3 separate albums (1 each from the 80's, 90's, and 00's) straight through in order with 15 minute breaks (and wardrobe changes) in between. It really worked, especially in the unique setting at Showcase live. Enjoyed a wonderful pre-concert meal and several glasses of wine (before and during the show), all for a very reasonable price, especially up here in the Boston-area. Steve Kilby engaged the crowd a bit but was obviously rushed as the playset required nearly 4 hours to complete. Except for a couple of bloopers, the band was technically flawless. They shredded the guitar work on "Film", "Deadman's Hand", and "Reptile", it was epic. Although it was a subdued atmosphere in general, there was still this undercurrent of energy not manifested by dancing or charging the stage, but rather a cool appreciation of really, really, good music.

These days, very rarely do you get the experience of listening to a classic band playing an entire album in concert. There had been some recent treats to MA such as Rush and Roger Waters. However, I have seen hundreds of concerts in my days, but NEVER seen a band play 3 albums in one night! Hats off to the Church for treating fans to a night they will never forget. As if it weren't enough for them to play three great albums, however, I must also point out that their sound was absolutely fantastic! One of the best shows I've seen in awhile. The Showcase Live was the perfect venue to host the band. It was obvious that the band enjoys playing there. The only problem with last night's performance (2/18/11) is that the band is leaving fans craving for more! I'll certainly catch the Church anytime they are in the area, but guys.....any chance for a future tour similar to this one, but by playing two other albums, Heyday and Gold Afternoon Fix??? Thank you for a brilliant performance. Magnificent!

Having been a fan of The Church for over 20 years but never actually getting to see the band play live until now, this show was a huge treat for me. These guys are definitely one of the most underappreciated alt/rock bands around, mainly because their "commercial" success in the US was limited to their single stateside hit "Under The Milky Way". As with most talented acts, the so-called "hit" songs are seldom their best. In the format the band chose to present their material on this tour, 3 complete albums are played, starting with their latest "Untitled #23", a sweeping opus that translated well on stage thanks to the dual guitars of Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper and a backing guitarist/keyboardist. Drummer Tim Powles used a variety of mallets and tambourines to play the drums with, while frontman/vocalist Steve Kilbey sang his brilliant and bizarre lyrics, at times putting down the bass or guitar to parade around the stage with theatrical gestures that were equally perplexing and amusing. The real goods, for me, were in the other 2 albums, which are among my favorite of all time. "Priest=Aura" is a moodier and more varied set of songs, still very melodic and otherworldly but with a few frenzied moments like the appropriately named "Chaos" which really rocked live. The "Starfish" album is probably the most pop-sounding and accessible for first-time listeners, and it was great to hear all the great tracks that would be considered "deep cuts" (or "filler" on lesser bands recordings.) "Antenna", "North, South, East & West", and "Hotel Womb" are all magnificent songs and sounded flawless at this performance. I had dinner before the show and sat directly in front of the stage. Being that close to your musical heroes makes a great concert even more memorable. With 30 years of history, The Church has built up a vast catalog of music and has been performing unique shows lately including one where they played one song from each album in reverse chronological order. Missed that one, sadly, but next time this band hits town, I am ready to welcome them to the stage again. Judging from the response of the audience at this gig, I'm sure there will be many others who feel the same.

I've been a fan of the Church since 1987 when Starfish was released, and since then I've picked up almost every CD and much of the solo and side projects for the band members. This concert was fantastic! The group started with most recent first--Untitled #23--and went backwards through time to 1992 and Priest=Aura, ending with 1987's Starfish. Each CD was played in its entirety, in the track order of the CD. While I love all three of these CDs, you can really hear how the band's music has improved through the decades. Although Untitled #23 is undoubtedly the best musically, my favorite is still Priest = Aura for the lyrics and music combined. Based on Steve Kilbey's comment that it was "the greatest album in the universe", I think he must agree. :)

Great performance. Great to here Priest = Arua complete. Starfish was great to here It in the original style

Awesome, from beginning to end. Church fan for decades, and finally saw them live! Great setting, and great show.

A 3 Records show seemed a bit daunting/ambitious to me but the Boys were true to form. I have seen The Church 3 X's in days past and this was easily the best they have performed. Ease of comfort + great sound man and room + superb material from start to finish makes for a great night. My three other friends and I all agreed that "The Church" are unique and capable of creating great vibes with their sonic stylings. Cool, capable, fun and at ease the band made it a pleasure. It's what we live for. A musical hedonist's good dream.

The band is remarkably professional. They gave a flawless performance, full of energy, and they made the audience feel appreciated. The sound mix (heavy on the guitar work) was perfect for my ears. The lead vocals are still strong after all these years. Nuiances from the album recordings were highlighted in a dynamic fashion in the live performance. Overall it was a great experience and I hope to get the chance to see them again.

I love this band. I'd seen them on the Gold Afternoon Fix tour. I don't know Unititled # 23, but I was very happy to be introduced to it live. Priest=Aura and Starfish are amazing, but you really have to like the Church or have good endurance. They play each of the three albums from start to finish and take 15-20 minute breaks in between. So, it's a long evening. I'm not sure if it's bold or lame that they just play them sequentially. There's something tedious about it. I like the element of surprise. However, you get to experience each album as a whole piece of art, and so I can appreciate that. The darkness of Preist=Aura sets the stage for the brilliance of Starfish. The performers are great. They put out. Kilbey and Wilson-Piper are charismatic on stage and I enjoy Peter Koppes ultra chill affect. And, all of this in the Trocadero, a great old venue. My favorite in the city.

I've been a fan of this band for roughly 25 years, it was the Starfish album that got me into them initially, and the more I explored through their library, the further in love I fell. I've probably been to see them atleast 8 times or so ranking them right up there with The Cure & Robert Plant as the acts I've seen the most times. I was surprised to find that The Troc was set up with seating as opposed to standing room only, which is normally the set up there. I obviously sat myself right down front and center, first row right in front of Marty Wilson Piper. Previous Church shows, always were sort of subdued, except for Marty of course, but the rest of the band just sort of stood there and played and did their thing, while Marty was pretty much the showman. This show was vastly different, as Steven Kilbey exhibited an excitement and enthusiasm that I've never seen in him previously. At times in the past, he almost looked bored on stage, not this time. He ran about the stage, and sang the lyrics to certain songs in such a theatrical manner, you'd almost think he was performing Shakespeare. It was definitely a cool change. The band was really tight, as they always are. Marty's licks were searing at times, you swore the strings would just spontaneously combust right in front of you, and the familiar trade off of lead parts between him and Peter is one of the things that make this band so great. I was not familiar with Untitled too much, but I liked alot of it. Priest=Aura is a classic, and one of my faves, and Starfish is right up there with the greatest alternative albums of all time. Has to be top 5 no lower. I know this songs like I know my own name, and to be down in the front row, just singing right along with Kilbey as Marty Wilson Piper smiled down at me, was just awesome. Each time I see this band, I'm reminded why I love them so, but this particular night, they really set a precedent and a bar that will be virtually impossible to top. Many in the crowd hung out in the lobby as they waited for "Starfish". If you're one of these fans, don't bother coming out, because you're really missing what this band is all about, and you're not a true fan. Sell your ticket to someone who is actually a fan and knows great musicianship when he/she hears it, because the talent of this band is obviously wasted on you.

Album #23 was a perfect opening to what was supposed to be a tour de force event. Somewhere along the line the band became uninterested, maybe the audience was too tame for their tastes. Regardless, the quality of the performance went down as soon as they AMPED UP the volume, big time, in the middle of Priest =Aura. The feedback kicked in, Kilbey lost his way vocally and then.... They totally BLEW "Starfish", just BLEW it !! Scratchy acoustics, overamped and discordant. Rushed and disinterested attitude about their penultimate album. It almost seemed intentional. Zero pride. Dissapointing. Save your money and listen to the cd's at home.

From a practical matter, an enduring band can accumulate so many songs that to cram all requests or favorites would be an impossible task without more time. This would have the affect of raising prices which are high enough. This show solves that problem by showcasing the latest album and the biggest milestones. Like other artists (like Rush, Kate Bush, etc.) The Church is indisputably talented, undeniably influential, and vastly, unjustly underrated. This concept tour is both an excellent display of their work as well as a gift to the devoted following. The intermissions gave a welcome breather and whetted the appetite for more. I thought at first that putting the most accessible album "Starfish" at the end was not a wise choice but their flair and showmanship made that presumption silly. This is a memorable show.