An excited mob of punters certainly felt that way as Art Vs Science first took the stage at Trak Lounge in Toorak. The Sydney electro-pop trio and some of their musical buddies (Tim Derricourt from Dappled Cities, Patience Hodgson of The Grates, and Kate Miller-Heidke) took to the task like ducks to water and created a magical space where classic new-wave and modern electronica joined hands and had a bloody fantastic time together.
Art Vs Science kicked off with a thunderously intense take on Great Southern Land, turning Australia’s unofficial anthem into a bangin’ club track. Derricourt danced with an appealing goofiness as he took firm grasp of stalwart tracks Anybody’s War and Can’t Help Myself, with Art Vs Science’s Dan McNamee playing some pretty damn serious guitar. Hodgson lent her dusky rock ‘n’ roll pipes to My Obsession and Crazy, whilst Miller-Heidke’s classically-trained vocals were positively ethereal as she gave Man Of Colours an operatic feel. Then all three guests came out for the closer, a dynamic and extended celebration of Electric Blue. Show-stopping doesn’t even begin to describe it.
But wait, there was more. As Art Vs Science returned for the encore, McNamee asked, “You didn’t think it was over, did you?” And lo and behold, the one and only Iva freaking Davies, his own bad self, came out from side stage and dove straight into a redux of Great Southern Land and We Can Get Together. He was joined onstage by all three guests – and every member of the audience – singing along. Davies appeared rather emotional as he gazed out at the audience and took his bow with the assemblage of musicians who had come to pay tribute to his music and words.
“Thank you all so very, very much,” he said. “These are fantastic people, and I’m so, so proud of them.” Magical evening. Absolute magic.
BY THOMAS BAILEY
