John Butler Trio, Blue KingBrown @ Festival Hall,Melbourne (17/09/2010)

Wed 22nd Sep, 2010 in Gig Reviews

John Butler still has it. The trademark dreadlocks may be gone and the new album may have taken a step in a very different direction, yet he still had no issues in selling out Melbourne’s Festival Hall.

Blue King Brown are one of the most entertaining support acts you could hope for. Full of energy and national pride, the band put on show a chilled out selection of Reggae-styled music, complete with an amazing medley that included a number of classic songs- most notably Billy Jean, by the late Michael Jackson.

Frontwoman, Natalie Pa’apa’a, is an provides an amazing focal point to the band. Displaying beautiful dance moves and as beautiful vocals, she is able to soothe those present, yet also have the entire hall dancing. Unfortunately, her vocals did not appear to be up to par when she joined the headliners on stage later in the night.

Prior to the Trio stepping out onto the stage, which was now smelling more and more like your token University Vego café at, the crowd were made aware of an upcoming movement, Save the Kimberley. In short, the Western Australian government is planning to compulsory acquire native Aboriginal land on the West Coast. Anyone interested can seek information here

Taking to the stage on time and ready to perform a two hour-plus set, the boys opened up with a selection of new and old, playing Pickapart , Used to get High and Revolution to name a few.

There’s a certain something that makes attending a John Butler gig all that more worthwhile. Whilst the band may follow a setlist, every song is open for interpretation, with the Trio showing no issues in changing up a breakdown and in turn, making the night more exciting.

Towards the middle of the night, the beauty of the gig really became apparent. Whether it was the live addition of a Didgeridoo (played by Byron Luiters (bass)), or the raw moment when the trio played Thou Shalt Not steal, a cover of the Kev Carmody release, a near perfect moment had been created. Tie this in with John playing a full 15+ minute version of instrumental track Ocean, and you’ve created something that’s hard to top.

The setlist had been shaped very well. When there was almost too much positive energy from the tracks that had the entire room dancing, the vibe would switch down to a slower pace. When the band had the entire audience in the palm of their hand, the mood would lift. This was notable with the addition of Good Excuse straight after a few quiet numbers. Complete with a number of members of Blue King Brown, you could expect this to have been a real set highlight. As noted before though, there seemed to be an issue with Pa’apa’a’s vocals in the track and there were a number of times when she appeared to be out of key with the rest of the band.

This was easily forgotten after the beautiful Peaches and Cream, supported by guitarist Geoff Lang. Butler created a solemn moment at this point, explaining the song’s origins. Revealing the complications of his daughter’s birth and how the song (initially) revolved around the sadness that he felt, he had the majority of Festival Hall in complete silence. This later changed with Melbourne singing out the entire chorus together.

It’s hard to work out if the recent lineup change of the John Butler trio was for the better. Sure, there’s no doubt that the additions of Nicky Bomba (percussion) and Byron Luitiers have moved the band in a direction different from previous releases, however when watching the band, something seems to be missing. Whilst the ever flowing energy that has always existed still remains, and the trio still laugh and break into lengthy breakdowns at ease, something is different. Perhaps it is Bomba’s apparent ‘fear’ to play drum fills that Michael Barker had mastered on previous tours, or Luiters’ disappointing bass solo. One still hopes that, over time, these issues are sorted out.

Regardless of this, upbeat closer, Funky Tonight, ensured that if Festival Hall had any energy left, it was going to be danced away. This, and the ritual three member drum solo at the end of the show, led to a perfect ending to the night.

CHECK OUT PHOTOS FROM THE NIGHT HERE