Crowded House

Rachel Buller

High Lodge, Thetford Forest

Crowded House marked their greatest-hits album back in the 1990s with the words “You'll know more of the songs than you think”.

And so it was in Thetford Forest last night. Following their storming success at Glastonbury which took many by surprise, they were in Norfolk for the Forestry Commission concert.

As always with the forest gigs, there was something magical about the atmosphere among the trees and as the sun went down, that atmosphere started to build.

The intimacy which this venue creates was reflected by Neil Finn's gentle banter with the crowd.

Playing a mixture of new material from their acclaimed album Time On Earth and new material not yet released, as well as the old classics, it was a long and impressive set.

Of course the biggest cheers were for the old favourites from Woodface and Together Alone.

Highlights included a magical version of Don't Dream It's Over, Weather With You and the amusingly sounding Pineapple Head. They speeded things up towards the end with rocking versions of Locked Out and It's Only Natural. But the real magic was reserved for enchanting versions A Distant Sun, Four Seasons In One Day and Private Universe.

There were singalongs a-plenty and lots of happy faces in the crowd who were treated to a real masterclass of music under the stars.

Even the rain held off.