Atreyu 'In Our Wake' Album Tour, Sydney, February 27 2020

THE TIME IS NOW!

“Everyone leaves a legacy no matter how big or small”, so when our time’s up, what will we leave in our wake? With the earth being plagued with recent pestilence (the deadly strand of Coronavirus), war, famine and ultimately, death, not to mention the recent catastrophic bushfires then flooding in Australia, you’d think the four horseman have risen and it really is armageddon!

So it’s a good thing U.S Metalcore godfathers Atreyu have raised the question of what will we leave in our wake with their latest album ‘In Our Wake’.

You may not think now is the time for such questions, but yes, the time is now... 

In all the chaos in the wake of this concert, I’ve had time to reflect and put this show into perspective. When I recently spoke to drummer and vocalist Brandon (listen to the full interview here) and asked, “when you come out onto the stage, what do you give fans that other metal bands don’t?” Brandon told me “for us music is a place where we can go and let our guard down, and kind of, be vulnerable, kind of, show our insides a bit, we want people to be able to do the same thing at our shows. I think a lot of metal shows or heavy music is very serious and whatever, we’re very lighthearted on stage it’s a very fun atmosphere I think that, we want to give that open door for people to just come and lose their s***”. So, was shit lost?... figuratively, not literally.

For starters, before doors open, I notice that the queue of fans waiting to enter isn’t exactly extensive, and those of here seem quite calm and unsurprisingly, I hear talk of VOCID19, so has this scared fans away and put a damp blanket on the night?

Secondly, this venue plays host to many heavy genre performances, and I’ve got to know the typical sound here, it’s like a natural ruby, red-hot, dense, has many layers but can often bare too many imperfections (in this case commonly too much bass) and generally is clear, but still gritty.

Thirdly, typically the opening song will be the first song off the bands’ touring album, and the grand finale will be their greatest hit, so in this case, ‘In Our Wake’ and ‘Becoming The Bull’ respectively?

So, is this a clear but gritty little gem that makes us lose our s***?

In a nutshell, yes, much s*** was lost! The band did not however, fulfill my prediction of the opening and closing songs however, instead, they chose the placement of the songs throughout the show according to the rise and fall of energy it would seem, which is in my opinion, a far more effective move, as if you’ve paid to see a band who has more than one “hit”, chances are no matter what, everyone’s gonna stick around until the very end anyway, whether you leave your best to last or not. So when they open the show with ‘The Time Is Now’... any guesses as to what was lost?

Despite my observation earlier of a laxed queue, the venue is absolutely packed now thankfully, also thankfully, people are politely and respectfully losing their s***, they’re dancing, jumping and singing along, which the latter does render the sound mix hard to hear the bands’ vocals at times, but all in all is a pretty top-quality sound mix. Even when a band member steps off the stage and onto the step of the barricade to engage fans, people are still letting everyone around them, you know, breathe and stay alive.

Currently as I write this two weeks later, thinking back over the concert going over my notes, it brings a smile to my face and gives me a warm refreshing respite from the stress and gloom of the COVID19 outbreak, which has been making me lose my s*** in a whole other way.

So whether it is the anthemic sing alongs, the intense energy the entire band dished out from start to finish, the flow of energy from song to song or the addition of a brilliant cover of Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love A Bad Name’, which brings the singing along to a whole new height, or all the above, Brandon was true to his word and gave us all the open door for us to let our guard down, and lose our s***. 

Now that's what sets Atreyu apart from other heavy metal bands!

Elton John 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road' - First State Super Theatre Sydney, December 21 2019

“WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD, THE WONDERFUL SIR ELTON JOHN!”

Can you feel the love tonight? And if not, are you ready for love? As we step into Christmas and 2019 comes to an end, so does an incredible 57-year adventure, but not before traversing through the spoils of this iconic path, before we say goodbye yellow brick road for the last time, and do the crocodile rock with the rocket man himself!

Slip on your tiny dancer shoes and click your heels together three times, “we’re off to see the wizard! The wonderful Sir Elton John!...”

As the lights go down, the mighty Elton John emerges onto the stage and we’re all thrust into a world of magic, filled with buzzing euphoria, the first stops on this adventure are the iconic ‘Bonnie And The Jets’, ‘All The Girls Love Alice’, ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’, ‘Border Song’ and ‘Tiny Dancer’.

I’m instantly mesmerized by the sound on all fronts! The sound mix supremely highlights Elton’s iconic vocals, which are so sharp and poised, in both the falsetto pitches and the grandeur baritone vocals, as if decades haven’t passed, and he’s still in his youth, only having written the songs yesterday! This with Elton’s dazzling star-spangled costumes, well-choreographed stage visual and lighting seems to sprinkle a mist of magic throughout the theatre, transporting us all back in time!

Opening with ‘Bonnie And The Jets’ followed by ‘All The Girls Love Alice’ perfectly introduces the musical characters and sets the scene/plot-line! ‘Bonnie And The Jets’ brings forth a cool, refreshing soulful, yet uplifting mid-tempo dance sway, to grab the attention straight away, but not charge at the energy like a bull to a red rag… oh hello, here’s the red rag!  ‘All The Girls Love Alice’ rockets the energy forward dramatically, as if introducing the big-bad-enemy in the story. But in all seriousness, very well executed, as both these songs display two separate, yet complementing essences. (cruisy sway-dance/upbeat and energetic foot tapping and head bobbing)

Elton now greets us all, like Dorothy introducing herself to all the characters along the way in The Wizard Of Oz, and Elton does it in a way that speaks to both the masses in the theatre, and everyone individually somehow! This sparks more feel-good magic in the crowd for the infectious blues of ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’ before Elton delights us with reminiscent stories of his career, before we encounter a ‘Tiny Dancer’ along the yellow brick road.

This may be a Tiny Dancer, but what’s not tiny is the number of people standing up to dance in this song! Although it can be quite annoying having everyone stand up right in front of you, being seated, I honestly can’t blame them! Just like it’s no wonder why The Wizard Of Oz has become a household name and an icon, it’s no wonder why the same applies for Elton! I’ve got goosebumps from how tantalisingly perfect his vocals are whilst playing the piano like... well, like Elton John. I’m a pianist myself and “great scott!” I wish I could play the piano like that, but to play like that at his age… of 21… while bopping away, pointing and waving his arms when possible AND singing like that? Yeah, I’m out!

I guess all of Elton John songs are iconic, so it’s hard to pick which one to really delve into without blabbering on ‘til the new year. So one, two, miss-a-few and, oh! Hello!...

After a grand blues-rock flurry of piano swishes and complementive lights and visual effects in the bridge section of ‘Indian Summer’, the continuity is kept perfectly, seamlessly flowing ‘Indian Summer’ into a theatrical suspense-building video, bringing forth quite possibly my personal favourite, ‘Rocket Man’. The smile on my face just widened immensely! It’s funny, Elton’s vocals seem more on the baritone end than the recording, but it honestly seems like it’s intended, not that Elton can’t hit the higher notes. As a result, it actually seems more quintessentially Elton… it’s hard to explain, but I feel like if he did do the really high notes in the verses of the song, it would just seem out of place now? And if you were thinking “well maybe he’s too old and can’t sing like he once did?” well, sorry, no. The way he sustains the note near the end of the song and controls the vibrato in both his falsetto and baritone vocals shoots that theory down hard! And just to add the cherry on the top, that extra dash of magic, Elton activates different sounds on his piano for the dazzling piano solo at the end… wait, is he on a rotating platform? I swear he was facing me when I last looked through my distance magnifier?!

As we head deeper into the forest of magical sounds, we encounter a ‘Candle In The Wind’ which is met with a sea of standing ovations, in which I join in on, holding up my sign “DRUM STICK 4 BLIND GUY PLZ?!” After ‘Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding’, to my amazement, someone from Elton/the band’s entourage comes up to me and hands me two drum sticks, informing me they’re from Nigel himself! Now, the reason why I mention this, is because it proves that it’s not just an illusion with how Elton speaks to several thousand people as if he’s only speaking to twenty-odd people, Elton and clearly his band are actually connected with the audience!

We’re in the second half of the show, and you might think people might be shifting in their seats, going to the bar, checking their phones etc? Well I doubt it, seeing as for example, the interest is perfectly maintained with honest, personal anecdotes from Elton, including talking about his own struggles with depression which he implores people to seek help when depressed, shattering the spell-woven illusion that Elton is some kind of God and not a human being like the rest of us. It’s also a little hard to drift off when theatrical dark, evil “wicked witch of the west” vibe wind and booming thunder claps (which I’m glad neither myself or my guide dog, with his heavy-duty dog ear-muffs on, have full bladders), along with call-and-response musical battles between Elton on the piano and Nigel on drums/percussion is peppered in the set!

But even the magical yellow brick road has an end. Finishing up (after profusely thanking us all and introducing/thanking his band of course) with the defiant power-punching whopper ‘I’m Still Standing’, followed by the infectious dance like nobody’s watching, sing-along crazily like the drunk-lady who’s pulled me up to join her in ‘Crocodile Rock’ and finally the final punch that vanquishes the evil witch in The Wizard Of Oz, ‘Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)’ which is capped off with a burst of confetti! BAM!!!

But just like in a movie, or book, there’s also the epilogue/wrap-up after the climax right? Even Elton John dishes out an encore which consists of ‘Your Song and finally, poetically, ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ as we too say goodbye yellow brick road!

The next day…

I may have 48 hours to publish this review, but I honestly can’t wait to tell the world of my thrilling adventures on the yellow brick road! I feel so incredibly honoured to have witnessed such a momentous occasion, and sitting here writing this review, I’m still awash in euphoric goosebumps!

Goodbye yellow brick road...

Walking On Cars 'Colours Australian Tour' - Factory Theatre Sydney, November 29 2019

“LIKE A KINDERGARTENER WITH A DULUX COLOUR CHART”

Imagine, if you will, a canvas of vast emptiness and thus possibility. Then just like the big-bang, bringing light, life and colour to the once blank canvas that is our universe. This is poetically fitting for this show tonight, because Irish alternative-rock band Walking On Cars are here in Sydney for the first time ever, to fill this blank canvas with their musical colour, in celebration of their second studio album, ‘Colours’.

And if for no other reason, this show will be memorable surely, seeing as lead singer Patrick told me in a recent interview (interview here) the band walked onto the stage at first, completely naked.

So well, “lads, let’s walk on cars!”...

I’m right up against the stage, there’s no barrier between the crowd and the band, so this could be very awkward if they do walk out naked. I feel rather conflicted that no, they are not, even I can see that thanks to Patrick coming right up to the edge of the stage, nearly standing on my hands, before launching into the first two songs, ‘Too Emotional’ and ‘Don’t Mind Me’.

I had expected the opening song to be the typical choice being the opening song off the touring album, in this case being the darkly wicked rebellion of ‘Monster’, but opening with ‘Too Emotional’ to a backdrop of dazzling lights brings a very suitable uplifting vibrant essence. Although I feel the bass is slightly too potent in the sound mix (only because I’m picking all the pieces apart analytically like Lego), Patrick’s brilliantly controlled falsetto vocals, even while he dances around the stage is the main focal point of colour. This song with it’s bright musical colour mixed with the visual colour in the stage lighting is like a kindergartener taking to a Dulux colour chart sample kit to my Synesthesia!

Although the tone deepens to a solemn deep blue in ‘Don’t Mind Me’, Patrick’s on stage charisma with him taking to a single electric drum pad to accompany the sharp, precise drum strikes keeps the energy in the crowd elevated nicely! This added with the increased urgency-filled cry of emotion in the last chorus caps this song off superbly!

Next we have splashes of colour, ‘Waitin On The Corner’, ‘Always With You’ and ‘Ship Goes Down’. In all three songs, Patrick maintains a high energy to his on-stage charisma, being the common thread that links each musical story to the next. For ‘Waitin On The Corner’, I’m filled with a rich pastel red glow emanating a dance provoking vibe, with all voices in the crowd singing in unison constantly throughout the song. The icing to the feel-good energy cake is Patrick taking to playing a guitar while captivating the audience with his voice. In ‘Always With You’, once my ears become acquainted with what song it is, I’m wondering where the piano intro is? Then I realise it’s there, just not prominent enough which is a bit disappointing. But again, Lego pieces. In ‘Ship Goes Down’ a refreshing cool ice-blue soulful mist settles on the aural palate, and with Patricks full-hearted honesty, the dancing melodies and Patricks on-stage charisma, I feel the atmosphere is quite reminiscent of The Script.

As the set progresses, I’m seeing a lot of blue as far as my Synesthesia is concerned, which is usually a pretty good indication of the songs key being in C, which I mean, come on, that’s pretty normal in mainstream music. However, this show is far from bland and typical! The way the band move from song to song, Patrick swapping guitars, taking to the single drum pad and dancing around the stage whilst perfectly controlling his vocals added with the general musical vibe, is of performance calibre of that of The Script, Imagine Dragons and OneRepublic!

For me personally, the highlights are how well Patrick moves up and down his vocal range, stretching his vocal chords like and accordian, whilst keeping perfect control especially in ‘Love Backs Down’, along with the burst of euphoric energy in ‘Two Stones’ which Patrick perfectly conducts the crowds energy and vocal hook sing alongs. Another crafty element to this song, is the nifty little vocal lick at the end of the songs chorus, being set to be triggered/played at the drum strike of Patrick on the electric drum pad. As well as the addition of female vocals from keyboardist Sorcha in ‘One Last Dance’ with it’s love-struck warmth and Imagine Dragons flavour!

As the show draws close to its end, dishing out deep emotional greens, pleasant bright yellows and pop-typical blues (musical colour I mean), blending a perfect brew of contrasting colours and thus emotions, with both solemn, heavy-hearted minor tones and bubbly, happy uplifting major tones peppered throughout, I’m feeling so glad I came out to witness this memorable show, because before too long, you’ll be paying big-bucks to see them in much, much larger venues, that, I have no doubt!

But all things must come to an end at some point, and the anthemic, rebellion of ‘Monster’ with its chorus hooks that demand full attention and singing along to, is a pretty damn good finish to a bloody good show!

But just like a painter never being fully satisfied with their work and constantly adding final touches, yep, there’s an encore, which is good seeing as we haven't yet witnessed the band’s greatest hit ‘Catch Me If You Can’ yet!

This encore starting off with ‘Catch Me If You Can’ which sprays beaming energy that gets the whole crowd singing along to, also features ‘Coming My Way’, ‘When We Were Kids’ and finally, to my delight, ‘Speeding Cars’. Although ‘Speeding Cars’ is a temptingly pleading song, the vocal hooks and the grand rock-out at the songs close is simply ace, and the perfect final touch to step back from the masterpiece that is this show, and admire with full satisfaction, even with the band not playing ‘At Gunpoint’ as I’d hoped!

Grinspoon - 'Chemical Heart Tour', Sydney November 2 2019

WELCOME TO CHEMISTRY 101!

Welcome to Chemistry 101 with your Champion teachers, Grinspoon. Seriously, I sucked at chemistry in school, like, to the point I honestly can’t remember doing it… wait, chemistry is what gives Black Rabbits their colour, and what makes Dogs Run right? Yet somehow, here I am, a somewhat teachers-aid, helping Grinspoon take you through all the Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills on their ‘Chemical Heart’ tour Tonight, which is sure to be Just Ace and a sure Hard Act To Follow!

Right Now, I have No Reason to keep on like this, so Ready 1, 2, 3 class is commencing now!...

For a change in perspective, and to rest my aching twenty-five year-old bones, I’ve opted to see what it’s like witnessing a Grinspoon gig from a seat near the mixing tower, via high-power binoculars. Especially too, as if you read my review of Grinspoon’s Newcastle gig in 2017, well, the crowd was brutal and got me a tad riled up, (come on, who tries snatching the drumstick that one of the band members hands to me out of my grasp?!), and that was a small venue… the Hordern Pavilion is not!

What I love about the Hordern, is the lighting and stage effects are always a real treat! What, a blind person can’t enjoy the aesthetics too? Well, a rush of electrifying lights and stage effects propels the energy sky-high for the band to catch, squeeze and thrash around in ‘DC X 3’ which is seamlessly flowed into ‘Lost Control’ and after barely enough time for the crowd to lose control with applause, straight into ‘Sickfest’ and then still no rest for the wicked, straight into ‘Just Ace’.

What does over twenty years of experience as Aussie rock ‘n’ roll professors (the band) provide one with? Well for starters, the band sure know how to conduct the energy and toy with it perfectly, manipulating the mood in the venue like a science experiment gone oh-so right! Honestly, I’m not a fan of ‘DC X 3’ much, simply because I’m a crazy cat guy, but that aside, Phil’s voice capturing both punk rebellion and gruff agro bite to call on, mixed with edgy guitar riffs and driving drum strikes lands the crowd right in the palm of their hands by the looks of things. (A sea of fists, and sporadic energy from the crowd, in response to the mass-movement on stage to a backdrop of fiery lighting). This aggression-filled rebellious track sends a chemical rush of savage pent-up aggression, met with excitement throughout the venue, it’s like a steroid/ecstacy hybrid! ...Please don’t try that at home… or anywhere for that matter!

‘Lost Control’ is a perfect follow-up to ‘DC X 3’ because, literally, the crowd have already lost control like they’ve submitted to a potent chemical… actually for all I know that could be the case? But seriously, this song keeps the hard-hitting rock brutality at 11, whilst presenting a more anthemic chorus to chew on and regurgitate simultaneously, with a fist pumping like the pumping motion will push it out of you! (that image? You’re welcome!).

‘Sickfest’ keeps the energy elevated, while giving a morphing beat drive like the most epic acid-trip ever, (that is what we learnt in chemistry right?), transforming from a whip-lash intro beat, to a dance-provoking strut in the verses and finally a sexy swagger in the chorus to Phil’s rough vocal bite. 

‘Just Ace’ is a rush of contrasting intense energy, it’s brighter, more uplifting, more up-beat. This is one of those short, sweet bangers that you’re glad doesn’t go for longer, or you’d probably faint from busting out the energy it invokes, well, that is if your fitness level resembles that of mine anyway. It’s a smart move putting this song after the previous three slammers, to keep the energy nice and high, but acknowledging the aggression in the previous songs’ energy, it gives a refreshing cool positive breeze, so not to start a full-blown brawl/riot!

Honestly, I could keep going on and on like this, but we’d still be here reading tomorrow evening. But the reason I went into a comprehensive assessment of these first four songs is that it perfectly paints the picture for the show! 

The energy is high all the way through the set, however the band conduct the precise reactions intended perfectly, dropping anthemic hook sing-alongs like my personal favourite ‘Hard Act To Follow’, plus instigating melodic sing-alongs with the crowd, all amidst a smokescreen of white-hot intensity. Then later in the set after everyone’s drenched in sweat, a refreshing solemn-hearted self-reflective track like ‘Better Off Alone’ which poetically is like that moment when you stop and really take stock of your thoughts and feelings. Plus to reel back in any drifting attention that may have gone astray, Phil pops-up at a small secondary stage behind the mosh pit for an acoustic solo track, which helps remind people other than in the thick of the mosh, that they’re a part of this moment too. 

But acoustic tracks and deep self analytical tracks are no way to end a rock show right? Despite this being the ‘Chemical Heart’ tour and said song being arguably the band’s greatest hit, it’s not a suitable grand finale, it’s an amazing track yes, but it lacks that spark to finish a set with. So ‘Chemical Heart’ is in the encore yes, but only before the band thank us from the bottom of their hearts and finish with ‘Champion’ and ‘More Than You Are’. Both these two last tracks restore any and all energy the show once had, with the psych-up egging-on fire in ‘Champion’ which is like a red flag to a bull, and the extreme thrashing brutality with Phil belting out raspy edge in both tracks! 

After all this, being seated I’m rather thankful I dodged the onslaught of crowd-surfers and just insane energy emanating from the mosh, it really let me enjoy the sound mixers handy-work with the set to its fullest, I mean it was just ace!

Right, time for grading;

Flow of songs/energy. A+

Interaction with crowd. B

Sound mix. A+ 

Band performance (solo’s, instrumentation, accuracy etc). A

All in all. One bloody good show!!!

DZ Deathrays 'Positive Rising; Part 1' album tour - Manning Bar Sydney, October 19 2019

MANNING BAR WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN

The night’s calm is broken, I’m pretty sure those in Melbourne can hear the cries and the tidal-wave of sonic energy, the earth shakes and Manning Bar is never the same again.

8:20pm.

A young blind journalist (me), is met with a steadily growing venue, with eager punters joining him at the front barrier. The spunky all-girl Sydney four piece punk-rock band The Buoys emerge to tame the night first up, to rowdy cheers from an obvious friend/fan or two.

These gals have attitude! Their sound is instantly alluring despite Hillary’s vocals being swallowed by the gritty guitar dominated mix. A few songs in, and after some seemingly shy talk from Hillary, more energy bursts free and gives the band’s performance a bit of edge. When the band close their set, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the still growing crowd, but of course fronted by the band’s friend/fan, who when our blind journalist asks the lovely lady “was that VOIID?”, thinking The Buoys sound does resemble that of VOIID’s and seeing as he’d never actually checked out The Buoys before, the girl retorts “uh-no! That was The Buoys!” as if how dare he not know, like we’d just seen Stevie Nicks.

9:00pm.

The venue is reaching its peak capacity, with the strong odour of alcohol hanging over the crowd like fog. Also all-girl band VOIID tries their luck taming the emerging beast of rowdiness and intoxication in the venue.

Like The Buoys before them, the sound mix is gritty, rough and guitar dominated, smearing the vocals. However, whereas The Buoys’ Hillary seemed a little shy, VOIID lead singer Anji fits the band’s skate-punk/garage-rock vibe perfectly! If The Buoys have attitude, than you better back the hell up now! I mean that literally, because VOIID’s feisty, edgy guitar shreds and infectious vocal hooks that aren’t completely swallowed by the sound mix, riles the crowd right up with Anji jumping around the stage nimbly like a monkey conductor. The crowd literally act like monkeys, the blind journalist is slammed against the barrier, with a sugary scented beverage, or what was left of it, now drenching his upper shirt. Snapping around, he’s met with a large group of men pushing, punching and egging on others. And seriously, what a waste of a drink?

10:00pm.

It sounds as if the venue is at maximum capacity, but there’s still room to dance on the dancefloor to our journalists appreciation, as the draw card that really enticed him to come along to this show is up now. To put this simply, Polish Club are practically impossible not to dance to! If you read the review of their headline show at The Entrance Leagues Club in June, you’ll remember I was having so much fun dancing to the feel-good soul/rock vibes that I abandoned the note taking, as they were really cramping my style!

Tonight is no different, lead singer Novalk dishes out some engaging banter to tame the monkeys in the crowd perfectly and keep everyone dancing, and even jumps off the stage to hug a girl and lean back against me, almost with Novalks head on my chest, while playing the guitar to spark the energy that little bit more. And to harness the good-vibes even more, the sound mix seems to be perfectly tailored to Polish Club’s sound!

Polish Club, making even a blind journalist who sucks at dancing hot and sweaty and needing a hit of sugar!

11:00pm.

No rest for the wicked, and my perspiration is made worse with any and all space I once had being filled with excited punters ready for DZ Deathrays. The night’s calm is broken, I’m pretty sure those in Melbourne can hear the cries and the tidal-wave of sonic energy, the earth shakes and Manning Bar is never the same again. The band’s first song might be eerie and somewhat anticlimactic, but from the second song onwards, a surge of white-hot energy erupts from the stage. 

The sound would be perfect, if not for the entire audience singing along and cheering constantly, but I honestly can’t blame them. The band have a raw natural energy to their music, which they demonstrate perfectly on-stage both musically and in charisma. I could go on and on about each song, but really these guys aren’t mucking around and mean business! A part of what makes this show so epic, I think, are the band’s before DZ Deathrays. Sure, a good support band helps the overall experience of a concert, but the line-up tonight was perfectly suited to build the energy in the venue to explosive heights. Another thing, is this has to be the best lighting display I’ve ever witnessed at this venue! I know, I know, it’s supposed to be about the music, but this is just a complementing cherry on top of this decadent rock sundae! How can a blind person see the lights you ask? Well, this is a mystery novel remember...

You know the band’s done a really good or really bad job when it takes you two days to get over their gig, and I have no doubt, after that onslaught of glorious energy.

It really is no mystery why Manning Bar will never be the same again...

Sannia 'Better' & 'Daylight' Twin Single Launch, Sydney 14/09/2019

THIS WAS NEVER MEANt TO BE

First and foremost, this review was never meant to be, but here we are.

Let me set the scene for you, it’s 11pm and Sannia, a talented young singer/songwriter all the way from the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria’s south, has been Travelling up to Sydney since 5am to put on a free show at a venue seldom spoken of, and never heard of by myself prior to the launch of her twin singles ‘Better’ and ‘Daylight’. 

Driving since 5am, small mysterious venue, sounds like a recipe for disaster..

“My sister calls it an ear-worm, it burrows in and gets stuck in your head”. That’s what Sannia said about her single ‘Better’ when I interviewed her recently, (Listen to the podcast here) so when she opens her set with the song, we, the audience, all have worms.

I was quite surprised that Sannia chose this to be her opening song as it’s definitely an infectious stand-out sensation of rich aural vibrancy, so it’s rather risky dishing out a trump-card/climactic song straight-up. Let me put it this way, you don’t show your hand too soon in poker right? You milk it, win as much as possible before hitting them with the royal-flush … but that’s exactly what makes this song the perfect initiation!

You may recall earlier this year my review of the CHVRCHES concert at the Sydney Opera House, in which I took you through my literally colourful musical perspective Synesthesia? Well tonight, Sannia starting her set with ‘Better’ is like being splashed in the face with a flurry of gorgeous, rich, vibrant red, orange and pink paint! Let me tell you, being splashed in the face with paint sure as hell brings you out of the mellow, lax 3-drink state! (don’t worry, I won’t be driving home with alcohol in my system, I’m not irresponsible!).

Now one’s performance can be perfect, but if the sound quality is poor, it’s like trying to polish a… and being a small, lesser used venue, my expectations weren’t high as far as the sound quality on the venues part. You know when a mate tells you “ah yeah, the new Avengers movie was alright” then you watch it and it blows your mind as your expectations weren’t unrealistically high? Well that’s EXACTLY the case tonight! A complementive minimal amplificated sound atop non-amplified drums is set just right and is pure, crisp, crystal-clear, resonating Sannia’s vocals naturally and simply perfectly through the rather classy intimate venue!

Right right, back to Sannia’s actual performance. As I said, this review was never meant to be, it was simply a nice night out to enjoy some music from a talented and all-in-all lovely artist, enjoying a drink or two with no requirements of a review. But oh… my… GOSH! 

I feel terrible that this show was free as this kind of musical and performance calibre is that of artists I’m used to packing out much, much larger venue and requiring a decent admission fee! I knew Sannia has a great voice and her three released singles all convey exquisite aural flavours and both vocal and musical diversity, but I know I know, I’m really laying it on heaps here, but seriously, I can see why people apparently cry during Sannia’s songs. In every song, I’m filled with swirling colours moving up and down the pitch tonal-key spectrum with her band perfectly complementing her musical complexity and honest raw emotions. And if you know her first single released last year ‘Go And Get Over’, you’d know the incredibly powerful, hard-to-hit note that occures on the word ‘fine’ five times throughout the song? Well she nails it live, all five of the ‘fine’s!

There’s really only one thing I find to let the show down to be honest, it only went for forty-five minutes or so. No seriously, I’m not being coerced to write this, each and every song brought a smile to my face and most gave me euphoric goose-bumps leaving me wanting more, but I knew my attempts at demanding an encore wouldn’t be successful. 

This review was never meant to be, but this performance demanded it. Because quite simply, when this musical gem is brought to the attention of the masses, performing at large theatres across the country to thousands of adoring fans, I want to be able to say…

I witnessed a performance that brought forth a review that was never meant to be...