Reviewed onTuesday January 17 (photo by Ashley Mar)
“This next one’s a more upbeat song about heroin,” announced Quan Yeoman, leading into ‘Run Run Run’ and capturing the vibe of a surreal evening in Sydney Festival’s Spiegeltent.
Pub favourites and national treasures Regurgitator used the slot to revisit a one-off performance at the National Gallery of Victoria, a commissioned work where they retrofitted the Chinese guzheng (a stringed instrument) into an otherwise straight-laced cover of iconic rock album The Velvet Underground & Nico.
Joined by regular collaborator Seja Vogel (channeling Nico with eerie accuracy) and guzheng player Mindy Meng Wang, Quan, partner in crime Ben Ely and drummer Peter Kostic recreated the record with care, passion and their signature tongue-in-cheek attitude.
“It sounds like I’m up here trying to spruik drugs to you,” said Ely, in the midst of a surprising preamble for ‘Heroin’ where he admitted to having used the titular substance. “I had a bad break-up, in my defence,” he added, before diving into a rousing rendition of the track.
What strange circumstances must have led to this moment. Whomever came up with this outlandish crossover, though, must have been onto something – the crowd, skewing older but with a broad array of demographics, soaked it all up with glee.
The ’Gurge’s efforts to reinterpret and reappropriate the record were the most rewarding moments, including ‘Fitter Happier’-style synth vocals for ‘The Black Angel’s Death Song’ and scattered guzheng solos. Sadly, the Spiegeltent’s audio mix meant that instrument, the most unique addition to the set, was often lost under distortion, devaluing Meng Wang’s fascinating contribution.
’Gurge fans unfamiliar with The Velvet Underground were truly spoiled – it was a real treat to hear ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’ live, a track Ely called “relentless”. ‘Venus In Furs’, naturally, proved a highlight of the evening, as the band displayed uncommon restraint in bringing it to life.
Hammer down and high fading, the crowd drifted away to all tomorrow’s parties, along with the spirits conjured by this most unusual seance.
