He began his set alone with a single spotlight. Perhaps this was a subtle nod at his humble beginnings as a busker, singing acoustically on the streets of Melbourne. The simple, yet powerful visual allowed audiences to give their attention to the performer gracing the stage. Didirri didn’t need the distraction of an elaborate light show, his captivating lyrics and melody stood alone. ‘Breath’ had the room hooked from the first note. The pace quickly stepped up as Didirri’s band joined him onstage. Each band member silently appeared before joining Didirri simultaneously, creating a surge of sound.
The band included a close friend of Didirri’s playing the guitar. The singer shared stories of them playing together for five years, which was reflected in their onstage chemistry. The guitarist teased the crowd with sporadic snippets of electric solos. Didirri gave credit to the sound engineer of the night who was doing an incredible job with the show’s audio. Without whom, the show wouldn’t run.
He launched into ‘Bird Sounds’, the stars in his eyes sent everyone’s hearts soaring. His stage presence was so commanding, potentially a skill mastered performing on the streets. The anecdotes were entertaining, perfectly timed jokes with excellent execution and his eye contact felt as though he was singing directly to you. The seasoned performer spoke of living in the Brunswick area which appeared to resonate with locals. Faces glowed as Didirri connected by sharing similar experiences.
The show didn’t pass without its flaws. As Didirri slowed down, building anticipation, audience members seized the moment to declare their love and appreciation. Although flattering, it was distracting. Plus, the ‘comedians’ in the crowd saw their chance to heckle throughout Didirri’s anecdotes. The first time raised a laugh, and Didirri took the interruption on the chin. However, others took this as inspiration to get a laugh. Didirri called them out on it in a tasteful way, justice was served as it raised a bigger laugh then the original “joke”.
The show closed with crowd favourites, ‘Formaldehyde’ and ‘Jude’. With so many new songs in the setlist, it’s highly likely Didirri will be back on the road touring another new release soon.
Highlight: Didirri’s band coming in all at once, filling you full of sound.
Lowlight: Stupid hecklers and their stupid heckles.
Crowd Favourite: ‘Jude’.
