11th March 2003
Vodaphone Arena, Melbourne, Australia
Massive Attack Melbourne For The Start of the World Tour New Zealand's loss was Melbourne's gain when Massive Attack suddenly rescheduled the start of their world tour last week. Australia was originally scheduled to happen after New Zealand but due to current legal problems for main man 3D a.k.a. Robert Del Naja the tour was forced to be postponed and Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena was the host of the first Massive Attack live performance anywhere in the world for four years. I had been informed prior to the show after questioning Massive Attack's choice of venue that Rod Laver was chosen purely because it was the only venue in Melbourne that could fit the stage. Sure enough, as the lights went down and 100th Window opener 'Future Proof ' began, it was evident this was true.
With a spectacular backdrop, incredible light show and simply fantastic songs, the audience could not have asked for anything more. It was not long before the spectacular Mezzanine album had a test, with 'Rising Son' and 'Angel' coming consecutively third and fourth, between which 3D commented on the "bullshit in the press" about him lately, the applause following suggested the audience's support for the vocalist. The backdrop consisted of disturbingly relevant information such as today's news, the time, the weather, all up to date, even complete with Rod Laver Arena's Brunton Avenue address. None of this information was more disturbingly appropriate than the population and general ecology counters ticking away behind Horace Andy belting out his amazing voice to 'The Hymn of the Big Wheel'. Two encores closed the show, the first containing the closest sound Massive Attack ever achieved to "dance" with one of their earliest hits, 'Unfinished Symphony' while the second contained 'Group Four' from their Mezzanine album with chaotic visuals keeping time with the crescendo to the climax. I wouldn't even dare to compare this to Massive Attack's Festival Hall show on the Mezzanine tour. This is a whole new level for the group and I think the fans should be duly impressed.
Review by Tim Cashmere from The Herald Sun dated 12th March 2003
This was time Massive Attack had played live in roughly three and a half years since the 1999 tour. Of course it was also the first show of 2003, designed to promote the just newly released album, 100th Window Because of this, many 100th Window songs got their very first performance as well at this show. These newly debuted songs were Future Proof, Everywhen, Special Cases, Butterfly Caught, Name Taken and Antistar.
This show was also the first time that Arden Hart (keyboardist, synths), Andrew Smalls (drums) and Lucy Wilkins (violinist) would play live as part of Massive Attack live touring setup.
This show was initally meant to be the third show scheduled for the 2003 tour, but because of Visa complications owing to 3D's arrest over child pornography charges in February, two New Zealand shows, which would have occurred before going to Australia were at first re-scheduled and then finally cancelled.
Before this show, the last time Massive Attack had played a show in Australia, had been on the Metropolis in Perth on the 1st July 1998.
The support for this show, as well as most of the other Australian shows on this years's tour was provided by Australian DJ Koolism.
The official site for the Vodaphone Arena is located here.
Click on the thumbnails below to view a larger image.