Some pairings just make perfect sense: wine and cheese, Woody and Buzz, fish and chips. . . The Whitlams and an orchestra.
Across the weekend (6 September), this iconic Australian musical showcase filled Hamer Hall with joy, heartache, and fun in a career retrospective that would have been impressive even without the immense talents of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – but was made just that much more magical through their inclusion, led by conductor Nicholas Buc.
Tim Freedman‘s immediately recognisable, dulcet tones were without fault as he blitzed through a packed setlist of more than 20 songs across the decades. . . Supported by some truly magical harmonies from guitarist Jak Housden. Tracks like ‘Buy Now Pay Later (Charlie No. 2)’ and ‘No Aphrodisiac’ echoed hauntingly through the space with sweeping melancholy, the MSO’s thick, layered compositions melting over them like butter on toast.
Meanwhile, the likes of ‘You Sound Like Louis Burdett’ and ‘Year Of The Rat’ exemplified the more high-energy offerings of the group (as well as MSO’s ability to switch into high gear). ‘Blow Up The Pokies’ – already backed by orchestral elements in its album version on ‘Love This City’, swelled like never before thanks to a powerful string section and some heart-pounding percussion.
Tim Freedman’s dry humour and charm was the perfect buffer to weave between this stunning discography – pausing proceedings every now and again to provide context to the music, or to give cheeky permission for taking photos and recording (as long as you tagged them on Instagram).
It was just one of those performances that reminds you how much talent exists in the world, and what a joy it can be to witness. Melbourne Symphony Orchestra injected an already beautiful selection of songs with spine-tingling emotion, this reviewer’s eyes constantly cloudy with tears with every crescendo. Tim Freedman’s unmistakable voice was as strong and powerful as ever, eliciting loud cheers and a standing ovation from an adoring audience.
