On the road for The Solo tour, Josh Pyke returned to Belgrave’s infamous Ruby’s Lounge last Friday for a truly intimate evening.

Welcomed with a warm, yet buzzing room and an audience in remarkably good spirits, Pyke himself suggested to his fans that they turned what was a gig into a concert; and who am I to disagree. The balmy summer night was transformed into something to be remembered as he effortlessly caused the crowd to become lost in his music and created the perfect ending to the working week.

Opening for the night was local talent Charles Baby, with a host of emotive folk rock songs to more than satisfy the sold out crowd. His melodies and beautiful stories resonated throughout the cosy room and invoked a solid positive response from all corners. He made the room sway to his somewhat mellow musical stylings, providing a perfectly soothing start and an ideal platform for the performances to follow.

Filling the place of main support, Sydney’s Russell Crawford took to the stage next and further embraced the relaxed atmosphere. Sitting upon two stacked milk crates, simply a man and his keyboard, the beauty of Crawford’s lyrics spoke for itself. Combining his indie/pop songs with entertaining anecdotes and a helping of humour, it was a set that definitely did not go unnoticed. His smooth vocals and near flawless tone and pitch were, to express a cliché, the icing on the cake.

As Josh Pyke headed for the stage the already high energy levels practically sky-rocketed, and it was all for good reason. With the cool air of air conditioners and fans blowing pleasantly on the backs of their necks, the audience stood in awe as the singer-songwriter began his intimate acoustic set; and within the small confines of Ruby’s Lounge, this was something very special to experience.

Charming the room with both his voice and his personality, even Pyke’s prominent reputation was not enough to aptly prepare you for the strength of his performance. His lyrics move you, his vocals mesmerise you, and there is simply no arguing about his prowess as a guitarist. He had won his crowd over before he had even stood before them, but it definitely shows that he has earned this trust.

As the night progressed it became apparent that this audience consisted of not only fans, but lovers of his music. The words of his songs meant something to the people and they were eager to display it by singing passionately, cheering loudly and all-round involving themselves in his set; just being apart of such a crowd brought a smile to this reviewer’s face.

The set list drew on songs both new and old, including Candle In Your Window, Fill You In, The Lighthouse Song, -Private Education_ and Middle Of The Hill, as well as showcasing a brand new song from his forthcoming third album.

Josh Pyke is a true awe-inspiring musician and if you missed out on this tour, be disappointed, because as he announced on the night The Solo Tour will be his last for awhile. It is often expressed lightly, but this gig really was one not to be missed.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG