The city seems eerily quiet for a Vivid Sunday, but a crowd mills around the State Theatre to see a glorious folk combination of Boy & Bear opened by Sarah Blasko.
Competition winner Olivia Coggan commences the night (26 May), playing her sentimental chords and the stomp box masterfully. She tells of losing a family member and the tarot card reader who shared that pink flowers are their message from the other side."Whenever I see pink flowers I know you're saying hi from your garden in the sky," she sings emotionally. Dad joins to harmonise on her final song in a nice family moment. A stunning voice and an impressive songwriter, Coggan is an unexpected treat.
Sarah Blasko enters with a "hello, how are we doing?" "Better now," one patron says to nods of agreement from the crowd.
"Met you at a time when we didn't know much," Sarah sings, the raspy edge of her soprano voice captures you, as she plays the piano with one hand and strings on a keyboard with the other.
"I'm playing some new songs tonight," she advises. "There's a bit of a religious theme, because I grew up in the church."
"This is the fate I deserve," she coos, hitting her vocal straps with power in the choruses, her voice reverberating off the ornate walls and ceilings, kissing the female statues who stand tall. "Thank you, you're very friendly and polite and quiet," she laughs. "Are my bootcamp ladies here?" Her group woos.
"Like any self-respecting 47 year old, I do a boot camp," she laughs. "Don't be scared but they may try to recruit you." The crowd laughs. "Only to realise it's not always perfect," she sings emotively as smoke swirls up through the blue lights. Her voice is strong yet tender, it is spellbinding.
"Never let me go," she sings for her song of the same name. Her glissando oohs are a haunting sound that will ring in your ears long after you leave. "That song is very tongue in cheek," she explains. "Just in case you think I would lock someone in a room to stop them leaving a relationship."
She ends her set with 'Goodbye' and you have another artist to add to your 'listen to entire discography' list.
Boy & Bear - image © AH Imagery
The boys of the night enter, the blue lights shaping their silhouettes against a red background dramatically. Frontman David Hosking's voice rings straight out into the theatre with grit and resolve. The drums begin pumping a straight rock beat as the kick thuds into your chest. The feel is smooth and warm as whiskey.
Hosking moves his hips and arms in a playful dance, singing, "I wanna be a role model". The synth warps bass notes to introduce 'Harlequin Dream', while guitar strums cut through under the pulsing pink lights.
"Run through the jungle," Hosking sings as drummer Tim Hart runs down the toms. A minor feel takes over the bridge before a sax player enters taking it to the next level. "Thank you for being here," Hosking says at the song's conclusion. "We normally save the saxophone for the end of the set. I don't know where we go from here." The audience laughs.
"This song immortalises a break up. Usually you push that behind you. This one follows me wherever I go." He is charming in a quiet way, and the audience responds.
Boy & Bear - image © AH Imagery
'Three Headed Woman' follows, the entire band unexpectedly kicking in like a tonne of bricks. The song explodes in orange lights with a searing guitar solo and we're off and running. 'Bridges' allows Killian Gavin to shine, his guitar solo notes flowing cohesively with the song. It is brilliant musicianship.
"We had a show here last night," Hart says, "so we can't recycle our stage banter from that." The band cycle through jokes before sentimentally expressing: "We get to do what we do, be dickheads onstage, for ten years because of you so thank you for supporting us."
Hart takes up the banjo for 'A Moment's Grace', lit by one blue light as white streams pour from the back of the stage. It is a touching rendition, as Hosking's falsetto breaks your heart.
"Play 'Moonfire'!" one patron yells, as the band laughingly respond: "You've come to the wrong gig. This isn't the 'Moonfire' show."
"I went back to the country," Hosking sings from 'End Of The Line' and you feel worries float away on the breeze as you drive through country hills. He shares that 'Back Down The Black' was written for his brother. It begins with deep bass kicks and Roland-esque organ notes ringing out.
"Don't you reckon the ceiling looks like the inside of a really large Faberge egg?" Hart muses between songs to crowd laughs. 'Real Estate' features stunning lighting, the backdrop burgundy with white lights crossing it. The tune sizzles along as heads bop and sway in the audience.
'Stranger' is so rocking you're sad the show is at the State Theatre and you can't boogie your butt off. Blasko returns for the last song of the 'Harlequin Dream' set, 'Southern Sun'.
Boy & Bear - image © AH Imagery
Her voice blends perfectly with Hosking's in a moment that will live forever. She then operatically sings the notes along with the guitar solo, and it sends shivers down your spine. An insane talent. Thus ends the regular set and the obligatory stage exit follows.
The encore begins with a drum machine as the stage blackens, apart from blue rings of light on the back wall. "Hey hey hey," the band call through the darkness. 'Suck On Light' takes us back down sentimental lane as soft green lights drip down on the band, before 'Magnus' is grand and moving as the saxophone returns.
"This is for you Moonfire," Hart says before a slow rendition of 'Lordy May'. 'Walk The Wire' is furious before 'Feeding Line' has the crowd clapping along. The drums crash away for an elongated outro. It's a brilliant piece of songwriting.
They close with their cover of 'Fall At Your Feet', the drums marching along as the banjo plays. The first chorus is sparse as all members of the band sing in harmony before joined by a backing choir of competition entrants.
Touching, moody and charming, Boy & Bear invite you right in to their intricate stories. What stands out most is they are a band who play wholly for one another, a true band of musical brothers. A class act.
More photos from the concert.
