Cash Savage and the Last Drinks in Frankston

Cash Savage and the Last Drinks played at Frankston Festival on 30 Nov 2024. 
We discuss band t-shirts and when to wear them, how it feels when artists get political, the enigmatic magic that makes a great live performance, and the value in supporting live local music. 

Chapters

• 0:18 Intro to the gig
• 1:25 Show support with a band tee
• 5:29 The impact of Cash Savage's performance
• 11:30 Push: favourite song
• 13:29 Politics and music
• 15:37 Musical family
• 17:03 The value of local live music
• 21:50 Final thoughts on the gig and future performances

Transcript

Mandy (00:05)
Hi and welcome to How was the gig where Andy and I talk about the latest gig we've been to. I wouldn't say we review the gig, but we do unpack the gig. do have opinions where did we go this time Andy?

Andy (00:19)
Cash Savage and The Last Drinks at Frankston, the free one. A free festival for this Christmas tree lighting festival that they have there. they had a few bands. I got there early and there was no one there at the stage. It was just like five people maybe the first act. And I was like, this is gonna be interesting. when Cash Savage and The Last Drinks came on, it was packed, was pretty packed.

there was a good turnout. But that when she was sitting up on stage, you could still walk up to the front. Do know what I mean?

Mandy (00:51)
Plenty of room, plenty of room

up the front. It was their first time playing Frankston. And as they mentioned, "we've played everywhere. Don't know why it's taken us so long to play Frankston".

I got to admit Cash Savage is one of my favorite one of my favorite bands in general. And I've probably seen, seen a live over the years, maybe five or six times. So I was pretty excited that they were coming to Frankston and that the Frankston crowd were going to get to know Cash Savage and the last drinks. But I did feel like, I've got to wear my Cash Savage t-shirt. I got to show some support.

because and I know some people say, nah, it's a little bit off putting, it's not cool. It's not very cool if you wear the band t-shirt at the band. I don't know who makes these rules. It's okay if you wear someone else's band t-shirt, but not the band on the night. And so I made the decision

to wear Cash Savage t-shirt because I was like, I'm just not sure there's going to be many Cash Savage fans up there in Franga. And think it worked out well. I get into that story?

Andy (02:06)
I know man, you got a shout out from

Kash Savage well done.

Mandy (02:10)
Yeah.

Mandy (02:12)
I guess I got, I got her a T-shirt with her face on it. So I guess it got her attention thanks for capturing that by fluke on video. it

Mandy (02:35)
was quite good crowd, know, there were a few of us standing around as they're setting having the t-shirt on meant someone else walked up to me and said, do you think there are many Cash Savage fans here? And I was like, yeah, I don't know. But all of a sudden we find another Cash Savage fan and we stuck together.

So I was like, cool. There's a few of us here. think a few of us were feeling like, Hmm. Don't know if there's going to be many Cash Savage fans and we love Cash. we want, we want to make sure they're all here.

Andy (03:04)
Yeah, nah there was a few people there who seemed to Cash Savage fans, but it was quite empty at the beginning I first came out. had to kind of walk forward a little bit to just fill up a bit of space. then, I mean, by the end it was pretty crowded, but I thought there'll be a lot of people at the beginning because they advertise this concert quite heavily all the train stations. It's not the greatest place to advertise,

Mandy (03:27)
I think it

was just on the Frankston line though I didn't really see it on my train line going into the city.

Andy (03:35)
Yeah, yeah, it was on the Frankston line. Yeah, all the train stations had this, this, this big billboard live, whatever. And it came up on my Facebook feed, but I mean, that's kind of targeted towards me, I guess.

Mandy (03:46)
It was part of Always Live, the Victorian government's live music initiative for local bands, which has been great.

Andy (03:53)
It's my third time seeing Cash Savage. And you know, I'm a big fan. She's very much gets up there and performs from the heart. It's pretty much how you describe her,

Mandy (04:04)
Yeah. It's, it's that weird thing with the performance. You know it when you see it. When a performer is really vulnerable and really honest and really transparent, I guess I'm always looking for that with a live performance. I don't care so much about the music I listen to at home.

This is why this podcast is about live music and not just albums and things. I'm always looking for that live performer who who is letting and being available to the audience. And there are a few performers that come to mind for that. won't mention Nick Cave, but Cash Savage is one of them.

Andy (04:50)
You just said Nick Cave. I knew you were going to say Nick Cave. Yeah, I would say out of everyone we've year, it'd be Cash Savage would probably be the probably be from the Heart Performer. mean, she writes the music, it's very personal to And she's not doing meme songs like Play Lunch. She's doing really...

Mandy (04:53)
Sorry.

from the heart. Yeah.

Yeah.

Andy (05:16)
you know, stuff that means something.

Mandy (05:19)
Yeah, I hate calling things brave or gritty. you know, she tackles some issues that are close to her heart and that resonate with people when she tackles grief, she tackles mental health, she tackles, you know, capitalism She doesn't shy away from her political beliefs.

Andy (05:39)
Well, let's quickly mention The Last Drinks, which is her band are their own band themselves, they've got a lot of depth to them. love the fact they've a violinist then of course they've got the three guitarists, keyboard player as well. just a lot of depth to their sound that they can bring out.

Mandy (05:56)
and they all rock

out, including the violinist.

Andy (05:59)
They do, yeah, absolutely. the 2 guitars either side are just amazing. They are just like fully immersed into the music.

Mandy (06:02)
man.

And they also have the energy. I just want to say people rock out to their own music sometimes.

Andy (06:13)
Yes,

Mandy (06:15)
They look like they're having a blast on stage. And if they're having a blast, we have a blast. that enigmatic thing about a live performance and that audience transaction.

Andy (06:26)
yes, sure.

Mandy (06:27)
maybe getting back to some of the themes Cash Savage has tackled her song, Push is really powerful song that tackles mental health.

Mandy (06:39)
lately, it's my favorite song. She does live, it's intense, she leaves it all out there. is, not feeling too hot today, that repeats and builds and gets more intense each time.

And lately that's one of my favourite songs live. She does an amazing job at that.

Mandy (06:57)
and Run With Dogs, I think was her kind of breakout hit. You know, you always talk about that one song, Andy, they always need that one song. Run With Dogs a big song for her it came out, I think in 2018, 2017, 2018, something like that. That was the first time I heard of Cash Savage and The Last Drinks Someone recommended them to me and that's the song that got me hooked.

Andy (07:06)
Yeah.

Mandy (07:24)
And this live show in Frankston, she decided to explain that

and why she wrote before she went into detail, she explained that she doesn't usually talk what her songs are about because she wants them to be a personal Whoever's listening can attach their own story to the song. And so she doesn't want to take that away from the person listening to it.

but then she went on to explain that you know, she.

heard someone explain the meaning behind their song

Mandy (07:58)
and how it meant a lot to her to hear the writer talk about their song.

Mandy (08:03)
and that's when she decided that she'll explain the meaning behind Run With Dogs and that it's about grief. And for me, being able to hear the songwriter explain what the song was about just gave it more gravity. It...

I know it's like, you know, songs are whatever you want them to be. And, you know, you, I don't want to lock someone into believing a song is about something because that's how I wrote it. But it really, it really gave it more meaning for me. It's kind of how I felt about the song anyway. So now I feel like, yeah, I've got it. I just felt like a bit more of a connection.

Andy (08:43)
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Mandy (08:44)
And it's always major moment in her live performance when she sings Run With Dogs. It's usually the last song or kind of often is the last song. This time it was played in the middle. I liked it. Also, Frankston was just, this show was just banger after banger. It was huge.

Andy (09:04)
Yeah, it was awesome. It was my favorite show that I've seen her in actually. I liked the fact that it was outdoors and it was just, it was a really nice night. Like it had been raining all day, but it all cleared up by then. And you know, was just, it was just a great show really. I love how Cash Salvage, this is my little pet like I heard, she goes up to the musicians while they're playing and she might put her hand.

Mandy (09:13)
you

Andy (09:29)
on their chest or something or put her head on there and just listen to the guitar or something like that and walks around or gives them a hug while they're playing or something in the down times when she's not singing. It's great to see a performer do that to walk around and there's the big hugs afterwards after they It is, yeah.

Mandy (09:49)
Yeah.

Yeah, it's nice, isn't it?

Mandy (09:55)
Yeah, when we see the band connect with each other, it heightens our connection with the band. I guess it just makes it feel more real or something.

Mandy (10:02)
You know what I like speaking about outdoor events and this was an all ages event, which we hardly ever get to see because so many venues in Melbourne are restricted. there were, guess, you know, Frankston Festival is kind of family event, family fun. There was so much space in the front row and there were these little kids, I'd say like four or five years old dancing away.

And I thought that was really cute. That's not something we usually see in a show. And then I was, I was in the front, but there was plenty of room in front of me. And I turned, noticed someone dancing behind me and I turned around to them. And, know, I talk about this feeling a bit too tall at venues and it was someone shorted them in. I said, do you want to step in front? You know, do you want to get in the front? And she was like, yeah. Do you mind? I'm like, no, no, go ahead.

Andy (10:30)
Yeah, absolutely.

Mandy (10:51)
And she went in the front and she turned around to me. I'm talking like a foot shorter, maybe a foot and a half. And she turned around to me and she said, can you say, okay. And I looked at her and we both laughed and she went, yeah, yeah. Okay. You can say,

Andy (11:05)
Hey

it was a nicely spaced crowd. You know what? We're not on each other's shoulders. You could actually go right up to the barrier, no problems. People didn't really want to be that close.

Mandy (11:17)
Yeah.

I did

turn around to see, know, how many people are here? they fans? I turn around and I could see It was pretty packed, but a few people just singing those lyrics knowing every word

Andy (11:32)
So what was your favorite song that you did at the gig?

Mandy (11:35)
Push, yeah, like I said before, the song Push, because of the intensity that builds, Run With Dogs is always a highlight. It has so many good lines in it, like the line, "traveling's for the rich, but wandering's for the brave." which I always sing on the top of my lungs and ruin every video I've ever taken of that. I would have to say my next fave,

also happens to be our new intro music, Rat-A-Tat-Tat That's one of my favorite live songs. It really, it's really intense from the first note. It's all the band members singing in unison, It's got this thumping bass line, which kind of aligns with the line that they sing. line is, it's the thumping of my heart. Yeah. It's a good one live.

Mandy (12:20)
What was yours?

Andy (12:20)
there

always liked... it Better Than That? Yeah, I always liked that song, but I did think that the... Her big one...

Mandy (12:23)
Better than that.

Andy (12:30)
Run with dogs, I think that was the best I've seen her perform. I think they had a lot of space. mean, the last time we saw her was at in Brunswick. Yeah, that was so packed on that stage. There was just no space for anything. Yeah, but this one, everyone could swing a cat if they wanted to. So yeah. And it's funny, she mentioned that she got the Frankston Early.

Mandy (12:34)
Wow, big call.

the tote. Yeah.

Mm.

Andy (12:53)
and she was watching a movie, yeah. So she'd be there for a few hours walking around.

Mandy (12:58)
yeah, she mentioned

they got to Frankston. They were like, this is never going to go ahead because the rain was so bad. So they all went and watched Gladiator 2 which interestingly she said, which is a terrible movie and a, but a good movie. felt like, You're allowed to watch Gladiator 2 Like we don't mind if you're into your mainstream films.

Andy (13:05)
Yeah.

Mandy (13:21)
but, I want, I'm trying to remember the song where she talks about where she yells out "rich white men".

Mandy (13:29)
The title is pack animals. It talks about the corporate machine and the privilege and your job is just to feed this machine for rich white men to get even richer. And it all kind of crescendos and comes to a head with the that really pointed lyrics, rich white men.

which she didn't say this time. She used different lyrics instead of rich white men.

and she kind of had a little preamble before. and it was "free Palestine" instead.

Mandy (14:02)
It's a funny thing when like she's my favorite band. We have similar political leanings. I have no problem with her political views, but I wasn't sure how Frankston was going to feel about it. And I don't even know why I care

I do appreciate a band who by, I guess, their political leanings and believe in what they say. But then I'm always like, but what if they start saying stuff that you don't agree with? That's then how would I feel? You know, it's kind of like, well, sure, it's all right if I'm kind of like, it's something I believe in.

Andy (14:28)
Yeah.

Yeah, I know it was a bit when she got into the free Palestine bit, I was like, this is interesting because it's kind of a it's a government gig. Yeah. And I'm like, this is kind of going into a different realm. and I know the, lead guitarist, he wears a jacket that says free Palestine as well. and there's the whole you wear on stolen land thing that she goes into at the beginning.

Mandy (14:53)
yeah.

Andy (15:13)
that I now said before, I've said it to you off camera, it's a little bit jarring sometimes, like, my God, we're on sovereign land, my God, what do we do, what do we

Mandy (15:21)
Yeah, I know and I get it, but it, think it's just an acknowledgement of the truth and a reminder that we are here enjoying this moment on that on this land. It's just acknowledging that.

Andy (15:33)
So, yeah, look, mean, I don't have a problem with it at all.

Mandy (15:38)
But what

you know how I came across Cash, Cash Savage to begin with, Her uncle is Conway Savage, the keyboardist, piano organ player from the bad seats. So I was like, okay. I was kind of thinking to myself, well, that doesn't mean I'd like fucking love.

Cash Savage and the last drinks as soon as I played it, was like, yeah, this is my music. There's got to be some crossover between Nick Cave and Cash Savage fans surely.

So yeah, she comes from a musical family.

Her uncle was in the bad seeds. And I often wonder how much influence that had.

Like we got there, this outdoor event, Frankston kind of has this reputation of being Bougainville, but there were some really cool people there. what I mean by cool is people who knew who...

Cash Savage was and were talking to me about music festivals. They had seen the other bands. So I'm like, okay, it's not some cultural vacuum here in Frankston. And

Andy (16:42)
Yeah, no, that's it. It was good. Yeah, it was a great vibe.

Mandy (16:48)
And it was nice

to see people walking past as part of the festival, coming out of Betty Burgers, looking, going, what is this band? Why is everyone gathered around?

standing on the streets looking over being like, Hey, this sounds

Andy (17:01)
Yeah, look, I mean, I keep pushing my daughter trying to get into Australian bands. She's always into the popular stuff over the American crap. Yeah. And it's annoying because we have all the music you need here, you know, amongst the local bands and you can see them and you can see them up close.

Mandy (17:10)
Right.

so much.

and you can pay a lot less.

Andy (17:22)
Yeah, exactly. know, like SZA and Tyler the Creator, all these people they're don't know. I just don't think they're that outstandingly good compared to what you can get locally anyway. But so it's frustrating when I said to Gwen, because she was walking around the festival doing rides and stuff. said, you're to come down and see the band and Gwen's 10.

Mandy (17:33)
Mm-hmm.

How old, Gwen?

Andy (17:46)
she's like, what band? said Cash Savage. And she's like, Cash Savage is here? She didn't understand that, you know, it's a local band and they're Australian. Cause she knows I play that song Better Than That in the car a lot. So she knows she sings along to that one. she knows it. And I was hoping she'd come down, but I mean, she got distracted, I guess. and didn't come down, but she was just so surprised that she could actually just walk down and see her on stage. though she missed it.

Mandy (18:14)
Yeah, it took me a while to realize that, that you don't have to go to these massive concerts are promoted a lot more heavily these big international acts. if you tap into your local band scene, you're seeing people way more often.

you're developing that bit more of a connection with them.

Andy (18:34)
absolutely. That's exactly what I think. really feel that there's so much good stuff out there. You don't need to go and follow these international acts all the time. It's just not worth it. There's no value for money. Pearl Jam, no value for money seeing them live. Listen to them, sure, on Spotify, but it's just like such a ripoff to see.

Mandy (18:52)
Some we've

seen recently that have blown us away. Haiku Hands, Playlunch, Cash Savage, these are all local Aussie gigs. We saw the presets.

Andy (19:06)
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I saw Sunshine Cave in the disco faith band or something like that. That was awesome. That was crazy, man. And the floodlights, we've seen the floodlights up close a lot. Yeah.

Mandy (19:19)
and the floodlights,

of course, and Amyl and the sniffers.

Andy (19:23)
Yeah, I mean that she's she's moved over to the other side now. She's a big act. be Myer music bowl next time. And it just I don't know if you can do punk rock on a big stage like that. You know what I mean?

Mandy (19:27)
is moved yep yeah

What do you mean? Of course you can.

Andy (19:37)
I just think it's more

venue kind of like crowd surfing and getting close enough to the audience.

Mandy (19:42)
Yeah, I can't imagine.

I know what you mean. I can't imagine seeing punk rock from a distance.

Andy (19:48)
Yeah, it would just be weird, yeah?

Mandy (19:51)
Like on the lawn at Myer Music Bowl. Yeah, it just, I need to be in a crowd for that.

Andy (19:57)
Yeah, you got to get the sweat and the smell. You don't get that. Like, you just see like, is someone in a bikini on the stage? That's all I can see from here. You know what I mean? Yeah, so I don't know. You lose it.

Mandy (20:08)
Yeah.

I feel like when I first saw Cash Savage at the Corner 2019, it was everything I wanted in a live band

because she's so in your face. And there was a kind of aggressiveness to her performance, a kind of like unapologetic and this is who I am

And then, but I feel like after the album, her latest album, So This Is Love came out and she had toured France, they came back from touring Europe.

And they, their performance had kind of elevated.

And I think when you pour your heart out and it was such a big album for them, it was so critically acclaimed and we loved the album. It And it was so well received. And then when she toured with that album, felt like, I don't know, I felt like a better relationship with the audience.

Andy (21:11)
okay.

Mandy (21:11)
That's all I wanted to say about.

Andy (21:13)
Okay.

she's a big presence on stage for sure. Yeah, I mean, she's like, she dominates as the lead in a band, even though it's kind of like and the last drinks that she puts on. Maybe that's a Nick Cave influence. Nick Cave and the bad seeds. Savage. And we should mention that we saw her doing a solo show as well.

Mandy (21:14)
My family.

Big presence.

Andy (21:39)
which was just her with a guitar and a special guest came on. Did she have a drummer then? But it was a lot different, a lot different vibe, a lot more intimate. But that's another gig maybe talk about, was good. I enjoyed the solo show, but it's nothing like having the full band behind her for sure.

Mandy (21:40)
yeah.

So the solo show was absolutely beautiful. You could hear a pin drop though. And I don't know if I'd see a solo show again, but I would if you go.

Andy (22:11)
I hope she plays Frankston again at the Pier. Yeah. That's a great venue. It's a good size venue for her to fill up because she does a lot of small venues, but she did the Queenscliff Festival recently, which was a big crowd there. So I just think that's a great size for her and the Last Drinks.

Mandy (22:15)
Yes, they should.

Andy (22:33)
just think it'd be a great venue, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure. You know, if there's the crowd to fill up that venue after seeing play lunch and the small at the smaller venue in the, the peer hotel.

Mandy (22:47)
Yeah, but Play Lunch have only released one album. That's only been, so they haven't had the time to build that.

Andy (22:51)
Yeah, that's true.

Yeah, yeah, okay. Well, let's see management put her on the pier.

Mandy (23:00)
Yeah, I wonder if she needs to release a new album though. If she releases a new album and doesn't play the pier on that tour, I'd be really upset. message her personally.

Andy (23:10)
Yeah, that's funny. Yeah. All right, we better wrap it up. gotta go. Okay. See ya.

Mandy (23:14)
Let's do it. Okay. Thanks. Catch you later. Bye.