There was an energy in the room that had been there all night, but seemed like it had nowhere to go.
People were milling about but focused on the stage, waiting for the main act. So it was no surprise that when Rodrigo y Gabriela stepped out on The Tivoli Theatre stage (16 March), there was a huge roar from the crowd.
Like a door flung open or when you twist the top off a bottle, once they started, the energy started to fizz over immediately.
And you can see why as this duo are like a moving, musical combustion taking classical sounds and whipping them up into something more, something potent, something powerful. And the crowd felt it instantly.
Where before there was stagnation and quiet chatter, now there was a mesmerised focus, enthusiastic clapping and ecstatic hollers coming from all sides.
There were tiny cameras attached to their guitars, which then projected the close up of their playing on the screen behind them. While the lighting was low and the stage set-up was minimal (mostly guitars sitting on stands waiting to be played!).
Back in Brisbane almost two years after their previous performance, the duo seem excited to be back, each taking the mic to tell a story or share a memory. They’re clearly comfortable together on stage, bouncing off beats and syncing their strumming at various times.
It’s been quite some time since they’ve released a new album (2014) and they shared the reasons why before playing tracks off their soon-to-be-released record. Adding in old favourites and recognisable classics pleased the crowd and they hit the jackpot when they played ‘Killing In The Name’ by Rage Against The Machine.
Inviting the crowd to sing the words if they knew them, this laidback audience suddenly became insanely loud and excitable.
Finishing up with an encore, lots of thank yous and long bows, Rodrigo Y Gabriela definitely appear to be deeply grateful to do what they do and their pure joy for the music comes through in every note.
