Dan Sultan, Even @ The ForumTheatre, Melbourne(18/06/2010)

Mon 21st Jun, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Dreams do come true.

Dan Sultan is an example of this. With years of hard work and commitment to his craft, he is now finally living the dream!

Watching Sultan grow has been a thrill. Gone are the days of performing in small venues, the Forum Theatre is where it’s at for this talented performer, and rightfully so.

Melbourne favourites, Even began the night, with their indie rock sound, they seemed very humbled to be supporting their good friend, Sultan. Singer Ashley Naylor was in fine form, especially in Rock and Roll Saved My Life, which he decided to change to Rock and Roll Saved Our Life especially for the nights theme; hyping up the crowd for Sultan’s arrival.

You could feel the excitement in the room as we all anticipated Sultan’s performance. I overheard a group of people saying they had flown all the way from Tasmania to get a piece of him! After a huge shrill of excitement from a packed Forum, the anticipation was ended as Sultan’s band entered the stage. The band was tight, guitars, bass, drums, keys and a horn section; it was rock and roll at its best. Sultan entered the stage after the band’s warm up, wearing a suit and looking sharp!

Fear Of Flying had the audience dancing and singing along and instantly; the connection between him and joint songwriter Scott Wilson visible from the outset, who has been by Sultan’s side from day one. Wilson adds to the show, almost like Sultan’s side kick, by playing rock and roll guitar solos on his knees and shouting out to the crowd. Sultan at one point tells the story about one of Wilson’s old housemates who stole both of their guitar pedals, and what better way to get back at them than by writing a song, Dingo.

The style of Sultan’s set combines Motown, soul, blues and rock and roll, and throughout, it’s hard to categorize what style he actually is. It doesn’t so much matter though; it’s his voice that matters. A heartfelt, raw sound that comes out of Sultan is absolutely unforgettable. A lot of people have compared him to the likes of Percy Sledge, and I don’t think they are far off. He is an old soul, and one that was born for the stage. In between songs he is light and humorous, egged on by the crowd. Old Fitzroy tells his story, and is a real highlight as you can physically see the music is inside of him, as he sways his head and gives his energy out to crowd. Playing songs largely from his most recent album, Get Out While You Can, tracks such as I Will Never Let you Down showcase Sultan’s softer side, and here his voice gets to really breathe.

His talent is huge, and it’s almost as if his heart is breaking and mending at the same time. Nyul Nyul girl off the film Bran Nue Dae, which Sultan acted in, is performed acoustically, as well as Rosyln; a heartfelt track Sultan wrote about his mother being stolen away from her mother when she was a child, as part of the stolen generation. He says in spoken word within the song that his mother told him and his brother, and so it will never be forgotten; something that resonates strongly with the audience.

Get Out While You Can, and Come Home Tonight, are definite highlights, the track he says is written about always being drunk and his girl giving him a second chance. The two Wolfgramm Sisters enter the stage to sing backing vocals, and Letter is powering with energy, the band are showcased here, full of talent and energy. Wilson then is granted a song of his own; a beautiful gesture as Sultan is clearly someone who wants to share the light and he clearly enjoys the song just as much, screaming his melody through the guitar.

The last set of songs, including When You Walk Through My Dreams , enables Sultan to start letting the atmosphere soak in. He goes over to each side of the audience and, after one member throws a crutch up at him, he promptly begins to dances along with it. Another audience member throws a scarf that he wraps around his neck. He gets so involved in the songs that at one point, he is on the ground with the microphone lowered and he sings ‘love’ to the audience with his hands in the air.

After a short encore, dancers come onto the stage as Sultan says “the stage just got even hotter,” with a chuckle. Cadillac and Mustang and Money from the Homemade Biscuits album are packed with energy, his voice is huge and fills the Forum Theatre with its feeling. The crowd are buzzing, and as the night ends, the screams from the audience get louder, as Sultan gives us one more vocal swoon, he admits to always having dreamed of playing at the Forum for his own headline show, and then goes on to list all the people that made it happen. He is humble and willing to acknowledge everyone involved. A true performer, with a big, heart; this is just the beginning!

CHECK OUT PHOTOS FROM THE GIG HERE