Venue: The Palace Theatre
Date: 9th August 2013
Reviewed By: Espylyn
Vance Joy brought his low key set to a packed Palace Theatre tonight, playing many songs including his hit Riptide which is a wild crowd pleaser, a song with high range and catchy beat, enough to get the crowds heads bopping. A simple yet effective set, although I’d be keen to see him play with full band (can’t undermine the head act tonight I guess!).
Big Scary are a band to be seen. Melbourne based chick drummer Jo Syme creates a magical sound on drums and her vocals need to be recognised as well and Tom Iansek on vocals, piano and guitar takes stage like he was born on it. Together they have created music from their living rooms to bring it out on stage where they have created a big following with their music induced by indie, samples, delicate drum, ukulele, mandolin which all blend together to create rock, pop, instrumental and folk indie sound. On the last song, Gladiator, the crowd pranced around like a bacchanalian party enjoying the creativeness of the band Big Scary.
Big Scary are a band to be seen. Melbourne based chick drummer Jo Syme creates a magical sound on drums and her vocals need to be recognised as well and Tom Iansek on vocals, piano and guitar takes stage like he was born on it. Together they have created music from their living rooms to bring it out on stage where they have created a big following with their music induced by indie, samples, delicate drum, ukulele, mandolin which all blend together to create rock, pop, instrumental and folk indie sound. On the last song, Gladiator, the crowd pranced around like a bacchanalian party enjoying the creativeness of the band Big Scary.
Half an hour later we are joined by Bernard Fannning and co. Still looking the same, same style and same smile. He bounces around stage like nothing had changed and into Hope and Validation he launched with aplomb and crowd go nuts. There are a few idiots around me who started heckling Powderfinger songs (I mean, really?!) but Fanning showed no sign of stopping his solo musical career. Darren Middleton looks on from aside, I wonder what he is thinking as he bops his head. Would these songs have made the Powderfinger selection? We’ll never know.
Battleships is up next and the pop tune causes a few fans to push through the crowd to get closer to Fanning, whilst arms are going crazy here there and everywhere as they sway to the music as he sings "Battleships/grey is the colour/without you". The light show around the stage is electric, full of vibrant bright colours for the rock and pop songs and ambient colours when the songs get close to the heart such as Departures which is about losing his brother. Fanning moved through songs from debut album and his latest offering, including Inside Track, Limbo Stick, Believe, Songbird, Thrill is Gone and Here Comes the Sadist. After encore he plays What A Fool I’ve Been and Wish You Well which started another frenzy of dancing and singing, last song tonight is a George Harrison song called What Is Life. I am told by a huge fan that Fanning’s voice is almost the best he’s heard and I take that on board as he’s been a fan for donkey’s years now.
Bernard will always be a crowd pleaser and I feel he will always be in the hearts of many Australians. I still have my bets that PF will be back one day…..
