January wraps her shawl across her shoulder and walks gracefully up the opera house steps for the final night of the 2005 Sydney Festival. The slightest of wind flutters from up river, under the harbour bridge, and across the glassy glittering dance floor sending a ripple through the reflection.

Her cheeks are glowing from the swirling head rush that has been this cultural feast, and there is a strange feeling as we take our seats. There is no expectation, because we do not know. But everybody knows we are in for a treat. Everybody knows.

With seats up in the gods, we were going to test the acoustics of the concert hall tonight, and though initially it felt a world away, the music quickly warmed us all, and even Perla Batalla was in bare foot comfort singing the praises of the cosiness in the room tonight. The double bass bom bom boom and a ta- ta -ta tatata on the snare and the night rolls into action. With a band of double bass, guitar, drums, hammond/keys/accordian/grand piano, a pair of violins, saxophone and saw, all under the conducting trumpeter Bernstein, we kicked right into the night with all the nights singers coming on to perform There Is A War.

All singers then left the stage, to return individually, or paired, to perform the poetry of Cohen. In between the absolute ice sheer cliffs of winters beauty experienced whilst listening to Martha Wainwright sing Tower Of Song, and Antony sing The Guests, the Handsome Family give us their black comic imagination of seeing six in the audience spontaneously combust whilst they get into the Ballad Of The Absent Mare. And up in the gods, the cavern inner of the opera house shell is thick with a sound we can touch, just as volumous and pleasurable to rest our heads in as Mogwai’s wall of sound, but the light shining through this viscous sound is exquisite diamond reflection rather than Mogwai’s laser beams and light sabres. Up in the gods, we are high because the music has taken us there.

So many highlights that I could embellish on every performance, every song, everybody knows. The songs and artists are down below. I wish I were a producer, I would take this show to all my friends and family, and all their friends and families, and all their friends and families. Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton played cutesy on stage in a duo of Death Of A Lady’s Man, after Nick Cave had brought everyone on stage to rip out a thunderous rolling steam train of Diamonds In The Mind. And this was just Act I!

Perla Batalla has sung backing vocals for Cohen in many performances, and her intimate knowledge of Bird On A Wire had the audience holding our breathe lest we steal some of hers, and she demanded every atom in the auditorium to quaver with her to be free.

All the performers had their quirky movements in a bashful dance feeling humbled beneath the lyrics, and Sydney stood up and took notice of performers still to become the major talents the world will see. You will hear of Antony, Perla Batalla and Martha Wainwright very loudly in the coming year. Antony was playing at the Vanguard tonight for only $10 and such was the demand the venue could have charged $100!

Teddy Thompson rolled on with his country melody through The Future, and we swear we saw it here too. The majesty of the night came to a rollicking close with an all in fun Don’t Go Home With Your Hard-on, oh, but after this performance, how could I not.

What We Saw.
Act 1
Here Is A War Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Matha Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, Everyone BGV
I’m Your Man Nick Cave
Seems So Long Ago Linda Thompson, Kate and Anne McGarrigle
Story of Isaac Linda Thompson
1000 Kisses Deep Handsome Family, Linda Thompson
Tower of Song Martha Wainwright
The Guests Antony
Tacoma Trailer Instrumental
Who By Fire McGarrigles, Wainwrights, Antony
Hallelujah Rufus and Martha Wainwright
Ballad Of The Absent Mare Handsome Family
Stories Of The Street Beth Orton
Diamonds In The Mind Nick Cave
The Singer Must Die Julie Christensen
Tonight Will Be Fine Teddy Thompson
Death Of A Lady’s Man Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton

ACT II
You Know Who I Am – Kate and Anne McGarrigle
The Traitor – Martha Wainwright
Heart With No Companion – Handsome Family
Sisters of Mercy – Beth Orton
I Can’t Forget – Jarvis Cocker
Bird on a Wire – Perla Batalla
Chelsea Hotel – Rufus Wainwright
If It Be Your Will – Antony
Famous Blue Raincoat – Handsome Family
Alexandra Leaving – Linda Thompson w/ Teddy Thompson
Suzanne – Nick Cave with Julie and Perla
The Future – Teddy Thompson
Everybody Knows – Rufus Wainwright
Winter Lady – Kate and Anna McGarrigle
Anthem – Julie Christenson and Perla Batalla
Don’t Go Home With Your Hard-on – Nick Cave and everyone
Came So Far for Beauty – Kate and Anna McGarrigle
Memories – Jarvis, Beth, Nick, Antony, and everyone backing vocals