Forever Frenz

Watching Split Enz walk on stage on Monday night was an emotional moment.

I fell in love with Neil Finn 42 years ago when I saw him sing “I Got You” on Countdown.

I don’t know what it was about 23-year-old Neil that transfixed 13-year-old me, but my hormones went into overdrive.

I joined the band’s fan club, “Frenz of the Enz”. I bought posters and badges, I taped their songs when they played on 2HD, I collected their back catalogue and marvelled at their early album covers – the band wore crazy costumes and face paint and had weird hairdos, but I didn’t care. I loved them and their music.

I wore a black armband to school when the band broke up in 1984 … and was mercilessly taunted for it.

Again, I didn’t care.

Neil reminisced on stage during their reunion concert about writing “Split Enz” on his pencil case at age 13 (long before he joined the band), when other teens were writing “The Osmonds”.

There was nothing Osmond-like about the Enz. In their early years, they were known as an “adventurous, flamboyant art-rock band” with unique, theatrical live shows.

And unique instruments, including mandolins and spoons, which both got a run at their reunion gig – it’s remarkable what Noel Crombie can do with a pair of spoons!

I can’t quite believe 2026 marks just over 50 years since the launch of the band’s debut album, Mental Notes (Time for a Change is a beauty).

Because I was late to the party, only catching onto their magic with the True Colours album in 1980, many of the more extreme aspects of their performances had subsided. But elements of their theatrical make-up and fabulous costumes remained and I loved their eccentricity. Watching them perform live was my obsession. Listening to the Finn brothers’ incredible harmonies was my passion.

Most of my teen years were spent finding creative ways to attend gigs, which were usually at licensed venues. I spent one of my first Split Enz gigs standing in the lighting booth at the Newcastle Workers Club – after desperate parental wrangling with management.

Years later there was a farewell concert in Speers Point Park that none of my friends were allowed to attend because it was during the HSC … so my mum took me.

She got a thrill out of being breath tested on the way in and being gawped at by Tim Finn as she stood against the stage with her pastel cardy and immaculately coiffed grey hair.

The band that came along next led by Neil was called The Mullanes. It lasted a blink of the eye, but just long enough for me – and maybe 20 other stragglers – to watch them perform at Belmont 16 Footers.

It was such a low-key gig that we got to chat to the band as they packed up afterwards.

Things weren’t looking too crash hot for the solo career at that point, but the band reinvented themselves as Crowded House and a global sensation was born.

I interviewed Neil while working as a cadet journalist at The Newcastle Herald. I went backstage after a gig at the Palais. And I embarrassed myself by having absolutely nothing intelligent to say.

And that was the moment I decided I was happy to remain in the audience when in the presence of greatness.

The audience on Monday night was enthralled by the greatness. Thank you to my sister in law Deb for securing such fantastic seats for us.

The night kicked off with Vika & Linda, who were fabulous. The sisters first found fame as backing vocalists for The Black Sorrows and have gone on to have a successful career as a duo for more than 30 years.

Split Enz came on stage huddled under a swathe of vermillion satin, before throwing it off and launching into Shark Attack.

Lead singer Tim is 73, but you wouldn’t guess it while watching him dance around on stage. And his rendition of “I hope I never” was pretty impressive considering the dazzlingly high notes it contains.

While I am a diehard Neil fan, it was Tim’s soaring rendition of “I hope I never” and “Stuff and Nonsense” that were my highlights of the gig, while “I see red” was the song that had me on my feet, dancing wildly.

Eddie Rayner’s instrumental numbers were pretty special too.