NAKEDBURN

There's always a sense of curiosity that accompanies a show where the band hasn't played for a while. The Spark 21 gig at The Zoo marked 21 years since the seminal Brisbane compilation was released, and provided as good a reason as any for Pale to regroup and play their early material. Were they as good as they once were? Could they cut it live? The answer, surprisingly, is a resounding yes to both. Pale, as always, delivered an idiosyncratic set, rich in atmospheric pop gems and revelling in unexpected song choices, but time hasn't dimmed their astonishing capabilities - the band sounded better then ever, the playing was precise yet fluid, the vocals possibly better then ever, and the actual performance would put most modern bands to shame. In fact that's the point - this band, twenty years after their heyday, still has better songs than 95% of new bands, and can still deliver a mighty yet moving live set. Here's hoping it's not the last time they get together - it's definitely worth seeing again...