It was a night of Ben Sherman’s, spine-tingling sing-alongs, cookie-monster growling and couple shuffling.
Andrew Strong was back in Melbourne for a performance not short of what his name suggests; and though his vocals were as strong as the crowd’s feelings of love, there were some unfortunate moments of feedback, over-the-top reverb and a less than impressive female accompaniment; brought on only by the lack in numbers. But that didn’t stop the party.
Perhaps Max Savage should have sent his unified female vocalists to the rescue, though they may have been a little exhausted from the high-energy performance that opened the night. As the crowd poured in, Max Savage and his band opened with an un-expected bang: obviously aspiring to contribute to the inevitable energy bomb. Savage and band banged out song after song of country-soul written with an audience in mind. The obvious band favourite Home became the favourite of most and the subtleties in Savage’s stripped back vocals were much welcomed when they did appear.
As always, The Harlots were a crowd pleaser; quality musicians presenting a studiously groomed front with musky and raw undertones. They didn’t hold back in contributing to the over-all theme of the night; rivers, amen’s and catchy choruses; ever the bosses of Melbourne pop/country. And keyboardist Kate has to be the most hypnotizing sidekick in town.
But it was Andrew Strong’s famous voice that stole the night. From the moment he belted out Midnight Hour all the way through favourites such as The Dark End of The Street and of course Mustang Sally, I was sent back to a time of turquoise spandex and leg lifts; some serious nostalgia was kicking in throughout the Corner Hotel. And though he still hasn’t learned to open his eyes since the film, Strong has learned to perform some serious lead; proving song after song why he is among the highest paid cover artists worldwide.
BY FRANNY B
LOVED: A guttural sing-along
HATED: People filming with iPads
DRANK: Melbourne Bitter
