It's a perfect night, despite the cloud cover, to welcome UK sensation Olivia Dean to Fleet Steps in Sydney's harbour.
The venue is festival-level huge, food trucks and bars aplenty with the considerable crowd milling through various stalls.
There is no support act, so it's straight in with 'Nice To Each Other', Dean entering in a gorgeous yellow dress to the crowd's roar (20 November).
'OK Love You Bye' displays romantic complexities, before 'Time' floats in like the breeze as the stage drops a gorgeous pink. 'Lady Lady' is smooth as butter, Dean smiling adorably at the crowd, bringing out her lemon-shaped shaker as she dances around the stage.
"There is a security guard that is moving," Olivia announces her support for his dance moves. 'UFO' is sentimental and lush, Dean strumming gently on her guitar. "I need somewhere to land," she sings delicately. "Let me know," the crowd sing tenderly.
She introduces Finn and Dan from her band. "We've been playing together since we were 17 years old," she says. "Look at us now!" The crowd cheer. "They're just three words," she sings, and you're reminded of the intricate absurdities of human psychology.
"Oh god, I'm gunna get emotional," Dean says. "I was really scared of being loved. I've done a lot of work on myself. Maybe you feel that way. This is a song called 'Slowly'." Olivia softly taps the keyboard organ sound, jazz notes flowing out. She stares pensively at the crowd. "Maybe I'll be fine," she ends on a high note that draws loud applause.
"What a privilege it is to do this. I'm taking mental photos," Dean confides. She knows how to warm a crowd. "This is about how if I wasn't a singer, I would be a florist," she shares. It's a cute, short ditty.
"Sydney, you still with me?" she asks as the stage floods red. The backing brass band is a blessed sound in your ears. Dean's dress flows in the delicate breeze, her shoes tapping for 'Echo'.
"I need to see your hands!" Olivia incites. "This one is about the girls' toilets. If you know you know." The crowd laugh. Dean brings out a wooden block before announcing a horn solo that will stay in your soul forever. The mood is sky high, as the crowd dances energetically.
Dean plays her Bridget Jones song as the stage floods purple while patrons hug and sway, singing "la la la la". Romance is in the air. "Cheers to that," Olivia says, swigging a beer.
"Someone is dressed up as a banana. Thank you! This is for those about to go on a first date. Remember you're fabulous and they're lucky to take you out," Dean says. Her words and presence are endearing, like a good friend.
'So Easy (To Fall In Love)' is a massive sing-along that warms your heart, before 'The Hardest Part' is for the freshly broken hearted, simmering nicely backed by the brass.
"This song is about my granny Carmen," Dean keeps the intimacy rolling. "She gave up everything for her future generations." 'Man I Need' is fun and dancey, Dean announcing her return next year, before 'Dive' closes the set with no encore, just as Dean said it would be.
Unfortunately, the security for the event mismanaged horribly. The crowd was packed in like sardines right in the middle of the stage cramping the thousands of patrons all the way to the back VIP barrier.
Despite copious space to the right of the stage, the crowd was never told to move over, leaving a packed tight left side of the floor where patrons kept entering. There was also no walkway to exit the crowd anywhere, leaving any patrons requiring assistance stranded in a hot, tight mosh, their only option to attempt to jump into the VIP area to exit.
Dean however is note perfect, just like your coffee on a Sunday morning. The songs are easily singable as the rain, which gloriously held off until the end of the show; it started pouring down upon the smiling patrons; and even that seemed magical.
