Following the release of the album Beautiful Awkward Pictures in October 2006, a lot of people wrote off Toni Collette as yet another actress entering the music realm and didn’t pay much attention. However, as a member of the audience commented last night, people are starting to realise ‘she actually has talent.’
Supported by The Model School and Hitchcock’s Regret, this latest tour follows what was a ‘few gigs’ in Sydney and Melbourne late last year, which included a very wet performance (for the audience at least) at Homebake.
The Gaelic Club filled up early, a good mix of both young and old, and most being very vocal fans of Toni Collette. As the room filled audience members near the stage made themselves comfortable sitting on the floor, a trend which continued as people lay sprawled out in any available space during the support acts.
Both The Model School and Hitchcock’s Regret duly noted that they were just ‘filling time’ until the main act, and thanked the audience for their patience. Unfortunately most of the audience was heavily involved in conversation during both the support acts, the bizarre exception being when The Model School completed their set, and Gary Jules’ Mad World came over the speakers, which resulted in an eerie sing along from the front rows.
By the time Toni Collette and The Finish came out onstage, the entire audience were on their feet and pushing toward the front, the sound of dull chatter now replaced with murmurs of excitement, and the band (with Peter Fenton replacing Glenn Richards on guitar due to Augie March’s touring commitments) and Toni strolled out onstage to the massive cheers and applause you’d expect to hear welcoming a much bigger band.
Starting with the beautifully uplifting This Moment is Golden, Toni looked relaxed and happy on stage as she moved along with the music, and was happy to let the audience know (albeit looking slightly embarrassed, as if she wasn’t quite used to the attention yet) that yes, she loved them too.
Clearly enjoying the gig as much as the audience, after every song Toni would turn to her band and grin widely. Performing songs from Beautiful Awkward Pictures the crowd were hooked, a mixture of people standing silently appreciating what they were hearing, and the more dedicated singing along to every song. Their latest single Look Up was placed appropriately at the end of the set, energizing the crowd before launching into a cover of Children of the Revolution, which Toni explained they were performing simply ‘because we can’.
After murmuring thank yous and running off stage, they came back for a much demanded encore and finished the night with Beautiful Awkward Pictures and Cowboy Games.
As the crowd filed out with smiles on their faces, one embarrassed audience member admitted: ‘I actually came for a bit of a laugh, but now I feel a bit stupid for thinking she was just another actress that couldn’t sing’, a sentiment that was widely accepted, although not always as openly admitted.
Toni Collette and The Finish are touring Australia throughout March, so don’t make the mistake of assuming she’s just another actress-turned-musician, Toni Collette and The Finish give a rare and beautiful performance, one that will change your mind too.
