Consumed by swarms of people young and (mostly) old, Sydney's The Metro Theatre fell victim to the dark, crooning melodies of Marlon Williams (17 May).
With the January 2018 release of his second album 'Make Way For Love', Marlon has been captivating audiences across the world for months now and Sydney was no exception.
With a stellar opening set from The Weather Station, the show exceeded expectations. Canadian four-piece The Weather Station seem to just have ‘it’; what that ‘it’ is however, is something far more difficult to put your finger on.
There’s something about the intricate melding of guitar and Tamara Lindeman’s vocals that fosters this incredibly solemn, yet inspired sound.
While it was inherently obvious who the majority of the crowd had come to see, those who took the time to let go of their mindless working week were rewarded with a well-placed opening act.
Click here to read our review of Marlon's Brisbane show (16 May).
While there is a strong case for the absence of set times, once they’re released there is a general expectation that they are kept to. Whether the late arrival of an artist was being used as a device for suspense or rather, just an excuse to pour another whiskey side of stage, there was an agitated energy that rippled through the crowd at The Metro.
After what seemed like an eternity of mundane house music, Marlon emerged from behind the curtains to a sea of squealing fans, captivating them from the very first chord.
Engulfed by the glare of a single spotlight, there was something so poetically sombre about the moment that Marlon took to the piano. Pangs of melancholy and bittersweet longing seemed to flow from the stage as 'I Didn’t Make A Plan' rang through the venue.
It was a sentiment that seemed to echo through the majority of the set, with the exception of a few light-hearted comedic moments.
While his debut self-titled album is an incredible body of work in its own right, 'Make Way For Love' fosters a darker understanding of relationships and offers a richer, more developed sound.
Marlon Williams has truly come into his own as a songwriter and performer on his latest album. On stage, he presents a character that is practically dripping with charisma, yet manages to also conjure a raw, haunting persona to complement his solemn lyrics.
Although 'Come To Me' has become one of the more notable tracks of his latest album, the sordid narrative of 'Can I Call You' looms over the stage, breeding a nervous energy among the crowd.
This was then contrasted heavily against the uplifting melodies of 'What’s Chasing You' and his remarkable cover of Yoko Ono’s 'Nobody Sees Me Like You Do'.
It is his ability to seamlessly manipulate the atmosphere of the room that sets Marlon apart as a truly great musician.
With a sold-out show, it’s often hard to gauge the energy of a crowd until the performance is well and truly underway; this was definitely not the case with the audience at The Metro Theatre.
