Betchadupa ~ Spill the Light
(written: 25 February 2004)
There's a lot of pressure in this song hall of fame thing. I'm aware that I'm under the intense scrutiny of thousands upon thousands of rabid music fans (or just one... but he's cute) so I'd like to ease myself into this new regime without completely embarrassing myself and all that the ratpony-team represents.
*Pants fall down*
Sigh
Anyway, there'll come a time when I'm absolutely hell-bent on representing something that's important to me for patriotic or even historical reasons and I'm open to the possibility of name calling and mockery. But until then... I present my first entry...
Back in early 2000 I took what in hindsight was probably my first trip away from home without my family. Oh, how sad. We'd decided to fly up to Auckland to see the Big Day Out. I was a first-timer, Dawn was not. Our companion was annoying but that is neither here nor there.
One of the first bands we saw that morning was Betchadupa. They opened up one of the main stages, and back then, at a bonny 16 years old a piece, were pretty much unknown. I knew who they were because I was (am) obsessed with Liam's father. Everyone else either had that much knowledge or less. Who knew what to expect from such a young band, one comfortable enough in their boyish manliness to wear sarongs?
Or lavalavas.
Whatever you wanna call them. A sarong is to lavalava, what skirt is to kilt. Heheh.
Uh, anyway, I became a fan and fast. Not too long after returning home from the BDO festivities I purchased the first of their recordings, the cunningly titled "Betchadupa" ep. One of their singles was starting to get a lot of attention both on radio and tv. The media started taking sides. Talented or just a son of a... ? To the naysayers I point you to track 2 on the Betchadupa ep. Spill the Light.
One of the older songs (which in relation to this band could make it two or three years old, but by all accounts this was written when they were about 14), it showcases what a phenomenal songwriter Liam was at a fairly young age. He only got better with age.
Unlike the other songs, it's not at all quirky. I'm not saying quirky is a bad thing, but I do think it can be telling of the age of the songwriter. Spill the Light could have been written by a veteran of 40 years in the biz. The harmonies and the subtle nature of the song... a soft beat as an introduction, an acoustic guitar and Liam's sweet Finnesque voice.
But what really sold me on this song was seeing it performed live. Like most songs actually.
Liam Finn and Joe Bramley have voices that melt together like Farrah Fawcett under stage lighting melts into her faux fur jacket collar. And all the tension that builds up in the beginning of the song gets released in one giant explosion of gooey youth energy and talent. The audience are left dripping with love, their hearts beating fast in their chests, in a haze of volcanic drums, guitars and gorgeous harmonies.
If I use any more metaphors I may explode myself.