Something beautiful happens when an orchestra takes on some of the best dance music of the last 30 years – it’s a powerful, euphoric rendezvous of genres that feels like two lovers who simply belong together.
The Synthony Orchestra brought this pairing to life at Sidney Myer Music Bowl (17 February) in ‘Synthony No.3’ to a packed crowd, in a slick, fast-paced yet steady evening of hits that, if you weren’t familiar with by name, you’d have heard at least once in your life at a club, on the radio, in film, or on television.
There’s a timelessness to dance music which in some cases lies in its simplicity: to use just one example of this, the simple chord progression of Eric Prydz’s instrumental ‘Pjanoo’, when performed by an orchestra, is packed with even more power and emotion and would send a chill down anyone’s spine.
Meanwhile, unashamedly huge dance tracks like the Calvin Harris remix of Florence + The Machine’s ‘Spectrum’ reverberate and soar when strings and massive, live drums are added – not to mention the incredible vocals of Cassie McIvor who was perhaps the highlight of the evening in terms of vocals.
Image - Jesse Chaffey
Infectiously entertaining and a delight to watch, Thandi Phoenix was perfect for tracks like ‘Lola’s Theme’ by Shapeshifters, and the dynamic Greg Gould fit Calvin Harris’ ‘I’m Not Alone’ and Daft Punk’s ‘One More Time’ like a glove.
The Potbelleez lead vocalist Ilan Kidron treated audiences to the band’s huge hits ‘From The Music’ and ‘Don’t Hold Back’, both of which undeniable crowd-pleasers. Rogue Traders’ Natalie Bassingthwaighte stormed the stage with the attitude and personality she’s been known for throughout her career, but she seemed to have drawn the short straw when it came to the songs she was allocated – her vocal abilities are huge and the tracks she performed didn’t show them off as much as they could have.
The night closed with one of the most iconic dance tracks in history – Darude’s ‘Sandstorm’ – and you truly haven’t lived until you’ve seen this track performed by an orchestra. By this time, the Synthony Orchestra had the audience like putty in their hands, and every wave of Conductor Sarah Grace-Williams’ baton took them further into the trance.
Image - Jesse Chaffey
One of the genre’s most influential and iconic musicians, Avicii, was noticeably missing from ‘Synthony No.3’. This was perhaps its only downside – the absence of a talent whom many associate with dance and electronic music. Whether this was an oversight or not (considering his name is listed among the artists acknowledged in the show on its website), tracks like ‘Seek Bromance’, ‘I Could Be The One’ or ‘Levels’ could have made this the perfect setlist – not to mention any or all of those would have translated stunningly when performed by an orchestra.
Avicii’s way of creating heavy, slamming music that could simultaneously make one teary-eyed feels like the very reason an event like ‘Synthony No.3’ should exist.
Avicii absence aside, ‘Synthony No.3’ was a euphoric celebration of a genre of music that never seems to lose its shine – a packed Sidney Myer Music Bowl came together to embrace and be absorbed by dance music from now and then, and the Synthony Orchestra performed like their lives depended on it.
The hypnosis of dance music meets the emotive expression of an orchestra.
Author's Note: Avicii’s name was listed on Synthony’s website as a featured artist because his music was part of the NZ 'Synthony No.3’ date. Setlist changes/additions meant Avicii was removed for the Australian tour dates.
