What the Folk!

Melbourne show 2nite: sum random dude in the crowd "Baaaaaaaaaaaa" Jermaine "that's our pet" we're going 2 f#@% him later....lol

Jemaine's pedal world #fotcgearpickoftheday #fotctour2012

Todays @fotc show is in the Leprechaun palace! #fotctour2012

Flight of the Conchords bring edgy musical comedy to Melbourne
Sophie Aubrey From: Sunday Herald Sun July 15, 2012 12:00AM

FLIGHT Of The Conchords stars Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement brought their edgy musical comedy to a capacity-filled Plenary Theatre last night.

And the self-proclaimed "top New Zealand export after sheep's wool'' did not disappoint.

They opened with a Conchords classic, Too Many D---s (On The Dancefloor), and wove cheeky travel anecdotes with singalong moments like Hurt Feelings, Demon Woman, and Most Beautiful Girl In The Room.

Antics included getting stuck in a lift for 15 hours, indulging in complimentary muffins, killing a goldfish and having underwear thrown on stage (which turned out to be Bret's).

From their glam rock outfits, to a miniature piano and deep Barry White style vocals, the Conchords are at the top of their game.

US comedian Arj Barker set the tone with a snappy support slot.

Flight of the Conchords perform at Rod Laver Arena tonight.

Just posting the pic so we can always see it on this page. Thanks for posting, SW!

Do we know when and why Jemaine seems to remove his shoes every show?

Do you think there will be a DVD of the show released??

REVIEW: Flight Of The Conchords In Melbourne!
15 July 2012

New Zealand folk-comedy duo Flight of the Conchords delighted their fans tonight at their long awaited and sold out show at The Plenary in Melbourne. This atypical auditorium style venue played host to a very entertaining evening of multiple genres of music including folk, rap and rock- the common thread being the witty lyricism for which Bret and Jemaine are adept.

Before FOTC took to the stage the audience was invited to take a trip to 'The Bark Side' with unbilled support act Arj Barker, an American stand up comedian who also played 'Dave' in the FOTC television series. Highlights of his set included his Owen Wilson impression and his version of the old 'build a bridge and get over it' adage, he prefers to tell people to 'get a deck of cards and deal with it'.

As much as the crowed were enjoying Arj, it wasn't long before he introduced the duo we were all here to experience live- Flight of the Conchords! The boys took to the stage and immediately broke into dance number 'Too Many Dicks (On The Dancefloor)"- complete with boom-box speaker headpieces! This was followed by 'Robots' and a costume change (to spin their headpieces around revealing a futuristic silver side) for this post-apocalyptic ode to Y2K in the year 2000.

Tales of their crazy rock excess were also peppered throughout the show between songs. Rockstar moments included eating a complimentary muffin at a hotel, and getting stuck in an elevator because they didn't understand how it worked. Perhaps their most notable rockstar moment was an unfortunate incident involving Bret, Jemaine, a FOTC groupie and a fish. While the details were initially sketchy it was revealed later, during the encore song 'Back On The Road', that the boys "left a hole in your soul, and a sole in your hole". Poor Mel!

During 'Bowie' the boys ripped their clothes off to reveal low-cut, sequined, skin-tight leotards that elicited much squealing from the audience. Accompanying Bret and Jemaine on stage for most of the evening was hirsute cellist Nigil Collins who also revealed a concealed sequined ensemble.

Feeling dejected the no one had heckled them to 'Show us your tits', Jemaine was quick to pounce on the heckler who 'Baaa-ed' like a sheep delightedly replying, 'We're going to f**k you later'. Good to hear he lives up to the Kiwi stereotypes!

The two-hour set delivered the star struck fans the chance to see many of their favourite songs live and the boys did not disappoint.

Setlist:
Too Many Dicks (On the Dance Floor)- feat. Arj Barker
Robots
The Most Beautiful Girl (in the Room)
F**k on the Ceiling
Jenny
Think About It
Hurt Feelings
Bus Driver's Song
The Summer of 1353
Inner City Pressure
Song for Epileptic Dogs
I'm Not Crying
Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros
Carol Brown
Business Time
Bowie
Demon Woman

Encore:
Back On The Road
We're Both in Love With a Sexy Lady
Sugalumps


Review By Amy Hespe

Review: Flight of the Conchords in Melbourne, 14/07/12
Flight of the Conchords @ Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 14/07/12
Review: Dave Zwolenski

Amidst the swarm of cardigan dressed, thick glasses-wearing punters it was hard to tell if Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement weren’t actually somewhere in the audience. Fans flocked to see Flight of the Conchords and everyone in the audience knew why they were there. Because Flight of the Conchords are New Zealand’s fourth most popular folk comedy duo.

To the crowd’s appreciation, the pair had brought a very special guest along for the ride - long time comedy addition Arj Barker, who some may recall as Dave from the TV show that projected FOTC (as they’re endearingly known) to superstardom. Warming the crowd up with the lackadaisical enthusiasm he’s known for, Barker seemed genuinely excited to be able to open for his buddies and his relaxed vibe spread through the crowd.

When FOTC came on stage, the cheers and applause were heart-warming and welcoming. These guys are like family to many, and like family they were treated. Opening with a crowd favourite, “Too Many Dicks (On The Dance Floor)”, their silver homemade helmets brought smiles to the thousands seated at MCEC. Fans of the HBO series who were hanging to hear their favourites were not disappointed either, with songs ranging from the ballad of “Most Beautiful Girl In The Room” to "Hiiphopopotamus Vs Rhymenoceros".

Scattered between the classics were some new songs too, which Clement and McKenzie preceded with the disclaimer that, as these were new songs, if “the audience could be accepting, that would be nice”. The fact that they both mucked their lines up and had to restart the chorus several times over during the performance only added to the hilarity of the pair, whose awkward, unassuming style has remained consistent throughout their careers. It was as if the two friends were jamming in their bedrooms and we happened to be invited in to witness them amusing themselves.

Even if you did know every lyric to every song, word for word, as many in the crowd did, the most memorable aspect to the show was the banter between McKenzie and Clement. Clearly scripted, but with an improvisational element to their interactions, they made it feel as if they were telling us their stories for the first time. From their rock and roll lifestyle of getting free muffins to their passion for whales (or as Clement calls them, “the elephants of the sea”), their endearing banter and hilariously crafted songs brought nothing but laughter from an appreciative crowd. At certain points the pair would even make themselves giggle with their own absurd comments, which, as any viewer of the HBO series will attest, is a beautiful thing to watch from such dry comics.

Review: Flight of the Conchords
Michael Ward From: Herald Sun July 17, 2012 9:54AM

IT wasn't so long ago that Flight of the Conchords was the buzz show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, two scruffy Kiwis plying their daggy musical comedy in a very small room at the Victoria Hotel.

Not so many years later, two seasons of an acclaimed TV series and a handful of albums behind them, the Conchords - still scruffy, still daggy - are packing The Plenary with thousands of rapturous fans.

That's the journey that sheer brilliance can take you on.

This low-key dagginess might initially seem at odds with such an enormous space. But it's actually the contrast that aids the guys' between-song schtick.

Pitching themselves as faux rock stars, their pitiful tales of rock 'n' roll excess (eating a free muffin is about as debauched as they get) are hilariously small time. But what about those songs? The repertoire is all pin-sharp vocal impressions and effortless parodies of musical styles.

There's the synthesizer-driven Pet Shop Boys pastiche of Inner City Pressure; Jermaine's velvety take on Barry White in Business Time; Bret's salute to David Bowie (Bowie); the sci-fi pop of Robots and the pastoral folk of the very silly Woo A Lady.

The quality of the musicianship (augmented by cellist Nigel Collins) is unquestionable; the lyrical wit consistently strong. As with all the best comedy duos, Jermaine and Bret play off each other perfectly; everything they do seems so easy.

It's a cracking night of comedy, the Conchords soaring further from that room at the Vic Hotel than even they could have imagined.

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FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS
Saturday, The Plenary (Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre)
Stars: ★★★★½