The Porch Sessions #12 Review @ Parsons Beach

The last show of this summer’s The Porch Sessions tour (21 January) had a joyous vibe of something pretty special coming to an end.

By the final song, smiles and sunburn adorned every face in the backyard.

For Porch Sessions #12, on the tour of troubadours and good times from Toowoomba in Queensland to Parsons Beach in South Australia, the views were absolutely smashing.

The backyard, which overlooked golden fields that sloped to the ocean, was transformed Porch Sessions style, with lines of colourful flags and lights, and Persian rugs to laze on and listen to some truly fine folk.


For the second summer straight Stu Larsen headlined the tour, joined this year by Japanese harmonica genius Natsuki Kurai and supported by singer-songwriters Tim Hart and Ryan Martin John.

Porch Sessions was born in Adelaide and conceived by Sharni Honor (the Porch Governor). It has grown over the last half a decade to showcase local, interstate and international acts in hills, seaside and suburban backyards.

In 2017 it won the Best Festival/Event at the South Australian Music Awards. Tickets regularly sell out within minutes.

On arrival we were greeted by the uber-friendly Porch Sessions team while the musicians tossed a frisbee nearby. We found some lawn in front of the crochet-blanket tent (aka the stage) and waited while watching waves crash on the beach beyond.

With a large portion of jovial banter and laughs, Sharni introduced each act. First was Ryan Martin John. On cue, the respectful crowd sat, hushed, and listened to his strong set of folk songs, stripped-back versions from his layered and harmony-laden recordings.

Out came the harmonica for ‘Good War’ a track from ‘Down O’Halloran’, his second EP released last year. He expressed thanks for being part of the tour and learning from the other musicians, before he sang a Neil Young song and proposed we all be friends.


Next was Tim Hart, perhaps best known as the drummer from Boy & Bear (click here to read our December 2017 interview with Tim). For this show, Tim Hart was alone with his guitar and utterly captivating.

In 2012 he released his first solo album ‘Milling The Wind’, a brilliant collection of folk songs with soothing and poetic vocals and intricate fingerpicked guitar and banjo.

Among old tunes he shared stories and singles from his upcoming album, discussing themes of questioning and loss. His new album ‘The Narrow Corner’ was released last week (2 February) as he kicked off his own national tour.

He finished by playing a cover of 'Kathy’s Song' (which could only be improved if Art Garfunkel sung harmonies) with a cheeky lyric swap: ‘I stand alone without beliefs. The only truth I know is Stu.’

Stu Larsen is a Porch Sessions’ favourite, regularly returning at the end of recent years amid his almost endless touring. Not surprisingly, his tunes are filled with stories of travelling and references to cities.


As a seasoned performer, his live show was as impressive as his fulsome beard. Joined by Natsuki Karai, a Japanese harmonica virtuoso, their combination was mesmerising and their obvious mutual respect and friendship endearing.

In 2013, they released an EP together with Natsuki accompanying five of Larsen’s tunes. This set was mainly tunes from Stu Larsen’s latest album, ‘Resolute’. At the start of ‘Ferry To Dublin’, the song Natsuki calls his favourite, he somehow evoked the sounds of seagulls and ferry horn, then for another song, a train.

In the glow of the setting sun, the whole Porch Sessions family came on board for the final song, ‘People Get Ready’. Stu Larsen, Tim Hart, Ryan Martin John and Sharni Honer sang a verse each, before the guitars were unplugged and Natsuki lead a joyous acoustic train into the middle of the audience.

Such a memorable finale. We all want to stay on board this Porch Sessions train.