Whatever your definition of “made it” might be, it’s hard to argue with the line of fans that goes all the way down to the bottom of the hill, eagerly awaiting their chance to get inside the Tivoli tonight. Happily clutching their tickets to the sold out show, it’s clear these folks are ready for a night of laidback pop accoustics courtesy of Australia’s latest troubador-golden-boy, Josh Pyke. And Pyke comes through for them, delivering a knock out show that will be remembered for some time, thanks in no small part to two excellent support acts.
Melanie Horsnell opens proceedings with her accoustic flair, although she stands fairly still for most of the set, letting the songs speak for themselves. New single Kiss You Again is a gentle, country, toe tapping highlight, but the crowd gives the biggest reaction for a heartbreaking cover of Gotye’s Heart’s A Mess . This is followed by the supposedly BoyZ 2 Men inspired Mr Accidental, and after a couple more soft numbers, Horsnell finishes with the more upbeat I Just Want Some Love , complete with singalong chorus (do do do do do!) and a rock flourish on the last strum of her guitar. Her relaxed and confident set has definitely won her some fans in the now very crowded Tivoli.
Old Man River (aka Ohad Rein )’s debut album Good Morning has been released to rave reviews, and his live reputation is second to none. He and his backing band ( Saul Smith, Liam Flanagan and Tanya Haro ) definitely bring their A-game tonight, from walking on stage to Barry White’s Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love Baby, opening with hit single and retro 70’s throwback Sunshine, rocking out with the accoustic pop of new single Summer, through to closing strum of final track La, for which he gets Melanie Horsnell up on the stage to help sing the chorus. Its a tight set with plenty of diversity, and Rein’s songwriting strength and versatility shine through – every song is a rich and rewarding experience.
Josh Pyke wanders out on stage, unassumingly of course, to rapturous applause, and some sparkling shimmering effects drop down behind him as he opens with a new song and his now renowned cover of House At Pooh’s Corner . At this stage, Pyke confounds expectations as the curtain rises to reveal his backing band, comprised of drums, bass and a violin. The first song to get the full treatment is Fill You In , followed by hit single Memories & Dust , which gives the crowd a chance to sing along – the first of many opportunities which are relished by an audience that is clearly enamoured with the lyrics of this singer-songwriter.
Josh Pyke’s previous live outings have always felt a little dry, as he crams as many lyrics as possible into his songs, while standing alone on the stage. Any weaknesses his show may have had are more than alleviated by the presence of the full stage band, and Pyke himself seems more confident and charismatic than ever before. He regularly thanks the crowd and heaps praise upon us, but it never feels forced, and every comment gets a scream of approval.
Pyke plays through all of his well known songs, including Lines On Palms , Private Education , and the ubiquitous Middle Of The Hill , and after a very short break, he returns with a song with some banjo in it, before closing out with classic track Kids Dont Sell Their Hopes So Fast , and Feeding The Wolves . Josh Pyke might look like a scruffy troubador, but his intelligent songwriting and confident measured performance mean he is an artist who will always be in high demand, and with good reason.
