As you walked into the SummerSalt festival at Glenelg Beach (Adelaide, 18 November), it was like entering one, massive beach party.
Millennials, parents, friends and children alike all shuffled through the warm sand trying to find the best spot to lay out their picnic blankets or craft a seat made out of sand.
Bars, market stalls and food trucks provided everything we needed to get us well into the night; of course with a little help from two of the best Aussie artists of the early 2000s, Missy Higgins and John Butler Trio.
Missy Higgins was first to perform for the evening, bringing some cool vibes to The Bay.
Sitting back or squishing around in the makeshift sand-chairs listening to her greatest hits from her debut 2004 album, ‘The Sound Of White’, while breathing in the fresh air that bounced off the choppy waves just beyond the fence was an incredibly relaxing and peaceful experience.
And despite some issues with sound quality and volume while she spoke to the crowd and sang acoustically, the crowd listened intently hanging off every word she spoke.
Missy launched into the classics such as ‘Sound Of White’ and ‘Peachy’, before allowing us a special insight into the last three years of her life, including the birth of her son, with some new songs that will feature on her upcoming fifth studio album.
Her son, now three-years old, along with “post-apocalyptic zombie movies” are the inspiration for the soon to be released album. Feeling like she needs to protect her son, especially with everything changing in the world, has become something she can’t escape.
She proudly performed another new song called, ‘Torchlight’, which was released in May this year, sharing with us the details of writing and composing it with her brother in a makeshift home-studio with bits of torn-up mattresses on the walls and windows for the Australian film, ‘Don’t Tell’.
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She rounded out the set with sing-along hits ‘Special Two’, ‘Warm Whispers’, and not to be forgotten, karaoke number one, ‘Scar’, which brought everyone to their feet. And upon Missy’s request, thongs were kicked off and the out-of-tune karaoke really began.
As the sun started to set and sunglasses came off, revealing sunburnt shoulders, John Butler Trio slipped on stage letting us know immediately they weren’t going to have any issues with sound projection.
Every one of their songs held so much artistic, musical value and often frontman and acclaimed musical eco-warrior, John Butler would accompany each song with a political or environmental statement. New single ‘Bully’ is one example of their political statement against oppression, violence and abuse of governmental power globally.
Almost every song they set out to write has a strong message attached. And then there are tracks such as ‘Used To Get High’ that are made up of deep lyrics but masked with a feel-good energy.
But the best performances of their set was the JBT classic hit ‘Zebra’, which was sung by an even more rowdy crowd than the voices behind the ‘Scar’ performance.
And of course the reason we were all there; John Butler’s amazing gift with a guitar and a spine-tingling rendition of ‘Ocean’.
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The acoustic solo left me absolutely in awe! Perhaps one of the most amazing instrumental performances I have heard live; listening to it on Spotify is one thing, but being there and watching the close-up of his fingers on the big screen as they danced over the fretboard was absolutely insane.
They closed the night with ‘Funky Tonight’ an upbeat, energetic and flirtatious track that brought everyone to their feet once more. An awesome end to a terrific set; so many meaningful messages in a world that is breaking and crumbling around us.
These guys were the ones to record it in song and allow more people to truly access their opinions and world-views.
I grew up listening to these two very different artists (JBT and Missy Higgins) share parts of their lives through song.
I would go home after school and disease [sic] our desktop computer while trying to download each and every one of the early 2000s records from LimeWire. And while LimeWire is a thing of the past, I will still be rushing to hear both of their new releases.
Two different, but equally undeniable Aussie music legends.
