Paul McDermott and Stephen “Gatesy” Gates are Aussie comedy royalty. I’ve admired both their careers for so long. As a teenager I listened through headphones to Doug Anthony All-Stars music that I’d taped onto cassettes borrowed from friends. They were deliberately mislabelled because my parents forbade me from hearing such smut. Tripod were one of the first Aussie bands I introduced by comedy-loving American husband to. I have such fond memories of their respective musical outputs, so when I heard they were teaming up for a Laycock Street Theatre in Gosford, I snapped up tickets.
Normally when I buy tickets for a show, I have some idea what I’m going to get, but I was flying blind on this one. I expected laughs, and I got them. Music with blissful harmonies of course, check. But as for the material, I wasn’t quite sure. As it turns out, these shows are fresh as a daisy with brand new collaborative material. That might disappoint some fans of DAAS or Tripod, but I think the shows are better for it. I have such fond memories of hearing the songs from these acts in the original trios. I don’t need to hear them taken out of that environment. Some of that comedy material has also dated too. It’s much more fun today to hear songs about hot button issues like white male privilege and our current leader’s failings, for example.
This might be a fairly new musical collaboration for Paul and Gatesy, but their 18-year friendship has created a rapport that’s delightful to watch. They bickered and bantered, creating moments every bit as hilarious as the songs. Laycock Street Theatre is divided into two halves, perfectly setting up a Paul’s side versus Gatesy’s side dynamic. I’m not sure we ever determined whose side was better, but it was so much fun to play along.
It wasn’t all laughs though. Tragedy is always the flipside of comedy, something I was reminded of in the final numbers of the show. While the “The Marvellous Mr Me” was a side-splitting response to a particularly scathing phone call Paul received, the next song was a much more sombre take on the same criticism. I found myself dabbing at tears as Paul and Gatesy sang a beautiful number about a mutual friend who lost her life too soon. These poignant moments were unexpected, but that added to their potency.
With the fire threat looming, only a small crowd turned out for the show. What was already so intimate became moreso when Paul and Gatesy told us to head out to the foyer for the encore. Paul took his place atop tables and they played a few more numbers, unaided by microphones or amps. Paul insisted he doesn’t like to get too close to the people, but after witnessing this delight of a show, I’m not sure I believe him one bit.
Paul McDermott & Gatesy Go Solo will play the following venues next!
15 November 2019 – Orange Civic Theatre, Orange
22 November 2019 – Ballarat Civic Hall, Ballarat
23 & 24 November 2019 – Caravan Music Club, Bentleigh
24 November 2019 – Queenscliff Music Festival, Queenscliff
5 November 2019 – Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra
6 November 2019 – Riverlinks Westside, Shepparton
Image source: own photo