Three years after he last graced the Dalrymple Hotel stage, Conrad Sewell was back in Townsville on Friday (10 February) to perform an intimate, pre-album show for a smaller but very vocal crowd.
A lot has happened in the interim: a global pandemic, sure, but Sewell has also had time to craft a new body of work, and has become a father for the first time. The new album, 'Precious', will be released 3 March this year – his son Memphis' first birthday.Opening for Sewell was Cameron Cusack, a solo artist who told the crowd he moved to North Queensland recently from Merimbula, NSW.
Although his country vibe seemed a little confusing at first, Cusack – a two-time Toyota Star Maker finalist who has toured with Troy Cassar-Daley – set the tone for the night perfectly, explaining the stories behind some of the tracks.
Cameron Cusack - image © Jade Kennedy
A particularly sweet story came from the introduction to his closing track, 'Postcards' – so named because he sends his kids postcards from wherever he is on the road.
Conrad Sewell brought just two musicians with him for this show, including Dan W, the keyboardist who joined him for his last tour.
Kicking off the set with throwbacks 'Remind Me' and 'Love Me Anyway', Sewell scattered some of his new tracks throughout the show, including title track 'Precious' and the first single from the forthcoming album, 'God Save The Queen'.
Conrad Sewell - image © Jade Kennedy
Once again, Sewell covered Tina Turner track 'Simply The Best' but without the flu he was suffering on his last tour – which forced the cancellation of several dates at the time – Sewell's vocal prowess stunned the enthralled crowd.
"You have to go through a lot of crap to get to this part, the best part, so it means a lot when you sing it back to me," he told the crowd at one point, who were not only singing along but also trying to give him drinks – clearly concerned the singer would dehydrate in the humid Townsville heat.
Conrad Sewell - image © Jade Kennedy
At times, Sewell required prompting to remember the lyrics to new tracks – some of which were taped to the stage before the show – but that is understandable given one track, 'Ferris Wheel', was written 11 years ago but only released last week.
At one point Sewell laughed at himself for forgetting the lyrics to Kygo's hit 'Firestone' – for which the band left the stage and Sewell sang to a backing track, joking that the crowd should "pretend you're at a rave".
The thing that makes Sewell so unique as a performer is his ability to belt out songs with the soul of a gospel singer, while keeping up the banter of a seasoned pub performer. His new tracks bring a vibrancy to the set list, while the old hits keep the OG fans happy.
Conrad Sewell - image © Jade Kennedy
Sewell and his band mates had a comfortable groove onstage, and performed brilliantly, but it will be interesting to compare the set – particularly the newer tracks – with the full band experience Sewell promised to bring back mid-year.
More photos from the show.
