John Butler, Dan Sultan @Sydney Botanic Gardens(1/11/2010)

Progressively steady rain couldn’t keep John Butler and Dan Sultan from punching out a few quick numbers for the first of the ARIA Awards Concert Series in the Botanic Gardens earlier this week.

Competition winners and industry peeps alike braved the conditions for a chance to see two of Australia’s finest blues and roots artists perform before the stunning harbour back-drop, and while unceremoniously cut short, there was little doubt left as to why these two have enjoyed so much success to date.

Sultan, unable to showcase tunes from the award-winning Get Out While You Can in the inclement weather, took a back seat as Butler appeased the soaking crowd with a rousing rendition of crowd pleaser Pickapart. Relishing the conditions, Butler threw caution to the wind (and rain) and, however brief, gave the audience a treat few will forget any time soon. Inviting Sultan and guitarist Scott Wilson to the stage, Butler led the impromptu trio through a cover of Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody’s From Big Things Little Things Grow, before retiring as yet another downpour blanketed the city.