It's always special when an artist gets to perform at the historic Princess Theatre in Brisbane. There's a class about this venue, built in 1888 as a public hall, that draws out the best in any entertainer – September's Friday the 13th proved no different.
Newcomer Ethan Beer wowed the audience with his original work. He and his four-piece band were tight on the night, showcasing fresh, melodic offerings. Support acts always have a tough gig – the hard yards, the set up and sharing of stage gear – no question about it.Ethan's relaxed and confident manner from the moment he took the mic, engaged the early arriving punters. Two standout originals – 'Little Bird' and 'Sticky Tape' – gave a clue as to the upward direction of his future career.
Ripley Alexander, fresh from making the Top 10 on 'Australian Idol', wasted no time with courteous intros. As a solo performer with backing tracks, he gave his 30 minutes his best shot.
Opening with his latest track 'Miss America', an original written by Ripley in Nashville, there were some sweet chord changes to be heard. Unfortunately, later in the set, tech glitches meant he was forced to go from his acoustic back to his electric guitar. Ripley performed his 'Idol' audition piece 'Mama Mia' – of course by ABBA – among other great original pieces.
Conrad Sewell - image © Michelle Cop
Embarking on a spring tour with two shows already under his belt, LA-based Australian singer-songwriter Conrad Sewell is sporting a new image and fresh haircut. When I say 'haircut', it's a total buzzcut not to the approval of his oldest fan (85) in Tasmania.
Conrad entertained his home-town audience including family members and supportive mates. He and his regular live band performed originals from his debut EP and other albums.
Hot music on a cool night made the audience warm quickly to songs like 'Make Me A Believer', 'Healing Hands', 'Start Again', 'Changing' and 'Bittersweet' - the latter track written as a collab with Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas.
Read our recent interview with Conrad.
Conrad's party trick was asking the audience if they would like to hear a cover, telling the crowd he only knew two (as if) and seeing which one they really wanted to hear. In the end, he did both. Michael Jackson's 'Man In The Mirror', performed as an a cappella, and Tina Turner's 'Simply The Best' with a full band accompaniment.
Conrad has already defined his own talent before and now redefined it in his career relaunch. As a seasoned veteran, his encouragement of younger musos is an example of unquestionable maturity. Now that he has kids of his own, he was respectful of the late night as a wide range of ages were in attendance – from ankle biters to mature adults, he seems to have it all covered.
Conrad Sewell - image © Michelle Cop
Using no charts, these clearly super talented musos who've been with Conrad for a few years, were full of onstage energy and enjoyment. You could see it, feel it and hear it.
Conrad opened up about his 2023 album 'Precious' and in particular how the track 'God Save The Queen' failed as it coincided with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II before the song was promoted. Therefore, all publicity was cancelled on the eve of the release.
As an indie artist now doing what he loves while touring the country, Conrad has hit a sweet spot – he's having fun again, filling venues and increasing his fan base. Big time.
- written by Stu Robertson
More photos from the concert.
