Live Review: DEAN LEWIS @ The Croxton

Just off the back of winning an ARIA for best music video is Dean Lewis’ Australian tour, stopping in at the Croxton Bandroom in Melbourne on Friday night. Australian artists Jack Gray and Robinson had the crowd huddled in and warmed up in preparation for Lewis’s set in the dimly blue-lit room.
“How ya doin? This is my first tour” Lewis announced, waving and beaming as he bounded energetically onto stage, to which the audience screamed deafeningly as the first notes of Lose My Mind we’re struck up by his 4-piece band. Lewis is gifted with a voice that translates beautifully to live performances and has the quality of a studio recording. Paired with his iconic upbeat guitar and commanding voice the audience bopped up and down as Lewis strummed on his acoustic guitar. However, it wasn’t a long-lasting dance party as Lewis quickly transitioned into his more emotional tracks and took to his keyboard.

“Hey you guys wanna hear a really sad love song?” he asked his audience as the lighting dimmed to a yellow haze and a smoke machine spat out fog. Quickly moving from a Half a Man through to one of the crowd favourites Let Go, Lewis was true to his word and the sad love songs continued. About mid-way through his performance it was clear the audience’s attention was starting to slip a little as conversations began to rise up in volume. But Lewis was quick to reel everyone back in with his most energetic and cheerful song thus far-
‘This is a new song called Tumble, hope you don’t hate it!’
The veins popped in Lewis’ right arm as he strummed vigorously and sang his most uplifting song yet ‘we don’t fall down, we don’t fall down. We tumble magnificently.’ After the welcome change in pace Lewis was back on the keyboard once again with the most anticipated song of the night. Lewis’ 2018 single and ARIA award winning track Be Alright was certified platinum within four weeks of release and is currently certified quadruple platinum.
‘As you know, I’m an actor now’ Lewis joked as he introduced the chart-topping single. Girls jumped onto their boyfriend’s shoulders and phone torches illuminated the stage as hands began to raise and float from side to side. The audience sang along so passionately that Lewis was drowned out completely. As the last chorus began he stepped away from the mic and let the audience carry the song to completion. ‘WE LOVE YOU DEAN LEWIS’ screamed a shrill female voice audience as the cheering
became deafening.

Lewis has one of the most recognisable voices in Australian music today, which he heavily relied on. Lewis let his voice drive the show while his stage performance took a back seat. Not to say that he didn’t have stage presence, but between jumping from guitar to keyboard there wasn’t a whole lot to look at up on the stage. Lewis finished up his set with his debut single Waves, a certified triple platinum song that again had the audience singing louder than Lewis himself, which says a lot for an artist of such high status within the Australian music industry.

Live Review: GREAT GABLE Golden Slums Tour @ Oxford Arts Factory

Perth based band Great Gable put a subtle twist on the alternative-indie sound. Familiar faces to supporting the likes of The Jungle Giants, The Jezebels and Ocean Alley, they mix lo-fi sounding vocals with unheard of guitar rifts. Their crowds yearn for the quartet’s groovy and mellow vibe, which is almost lazy, in the best way possible.
Their tour was for their newly released hit single Goldem Slums, but brought a heap of old energy with them.

The newly formed band play as if they’ve been playing for decades. Their stage style is carefree, almost apathetic in a way that mesmerises you. The band started out playing tracks from their earlier EP, Modern Interactions, having an even-tempered and gentle feel in such an intimate venue. They performed Early Morning and Something to Say, starting with a slow, easy going tempo.
Things really picked up early when the quartet smack out Punga, which got the crowd dancing together with beers to the roof. A clear highlight would be when Taste squeezed its way through for a nifty guitar solo, hypnotising the crowd to sway their bodies, like puppets controlled by every strum of the guitar strings.
Until that is, the moment almost everyone in the crowd was waiting for, Great Gable begin the chant All Day Long. The whole crowd of about 50 sang along, both through verses and chorus,  singing and dancing in such a tight room.
The energy was almost transferable for their next hits, Golden Slums and Drift, with now short waits between songs, hitting the crowd with banger after banger. These songs were mesmerising and powerful enough to get a crowd of strangers wrapping their arms around each other. It was almost methodical for the band to finish off with Shine, reeling in the crowd to mirror the way the show started: completely tranquil.

Live Review: BON JOVI + BIRDS OF TOKYO @ ANZ Stadium

The night has desired Sydney Siders who have sat tight for This house isn't available to be purchased visit to achieve our shores. It has been a long time since Bon Jovi visited Australia and you can feel the power of energy working as time taps on for the ongoing lobby of popularity inductees to hit the stage.

ANZ Stadium is loading up with energetic fans, many are lining for the show shirt's to wear amid the show and years to come. Running from all ages from the individuals who haven't missed a solitary visit since Slippery When Wet in 1987 to the more up to date fans that Bon Jovi gain with each new collection they discharge.

First to show up in front of an audience from Perth WA Birds Of Tokyo playing a considerable lot of their hits including Brace, Plans, and Anchor. Ian Kenny and co at that point played another melody pursued by the ever mainstream Unbreakable the tune picked as the subject for the 2018 Invictus Games as of late held in Sydney. Completing their set with fan top choices This Fire and Lanterns, Birds of Tokyo never frustrate.

Soon after 8pm the expectation is finished and here comes Bon Jovi. With the band in front of an audience Jon Bon Jovi enters the arena by means of a side passage like a prized contender as he's punching the air getting siphoned up for a night of shake n roll. Jon welcomes energized fans en route by means of the pit giving high fives and embraces to those lucky to be in his way while in transit to the stage. He gets a monstrous thunder from the Sydney swarm as he remains in front of an audience, Bon Jovi have arrived.

Jon wearing dark pants, red shirt completed off with a blue zipped coat with Bon Jovi's work of art and immortal Heart and Dagger logo urges fans to get up out of their seats as they open with 'You Give Love A Bad Name'. Jon is raring to go as they play 'Raise Your Hands'. The Sydney swarm are all on their feet prepared to shake the night away. The band at that point play 'Lost Highway' from the equivalent titled collection discharged in 2007. Before the following melody Jon says "Great to see ya it's been far too long, gotta part of getting up to speed to do" as they play 'Who Says You Can't Go Home'.

Bon Jovi are working their way through old and new melodies with 'This House Is Not For Sale', 'Crazy ride', 'We Weren't Born To Follow', and 'We Don't Run'. Fans are moving and singing to their top picks. Jon says to the group that he's simply getting ready which the band at that point dispatches into 'It's My Life'.

Jon stops and takes in the warm gathering by the Sydney swarm, grinning he says "Parcels occurred over the most recent a long time since we came to Australia out of the blue". Jon stops glances back at David Bryan, Tico Torres and whatever is left of the band he keeps saying "Tune in to those individuals 31 years after we came to Australia". Jon is glad and radiating as the jam emits in cheers and praise.

Tunes to pursue are 'God Bless This Mess', 'Destined To Be My Baby', 'Have A Nice Day', 'Keep The Faith' the lead track from their 1992 collection of a similar name and after that 'Luxurious situation'. Jon probably won't have the capacity to hit those high notes of the 80's nevertheless he beyond any doubt sings with so much vitality and enthusiasm that fans have appreciated for a long time.

Jon asks the group "My siblings and sisters would you say you are still with me out there? I gotta know whether you have the confidence, on the off chance that you trust, I gotta know whether you're prepared to go to chapel on a Saturday night?" Leading into 'Lay Your Hands On Me' from Bon Jovi's 1988 collection New Jersey.

'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead' is next trailed by 'Commander Crash and The Beauty Queen from Mars' off their seventh studio collection Crush. Completing off this set with their song of praise Livin On A Prayer at that point leaving the phase with the group needing more.

Not requiring excessively support to return in front of an audience by energetic fans that their reprise begins with 'Awful Medicine', trailed by an enormous most loved among many 'Needed Dead Or Alive', completing with 'I'll Be There For You'. Bon Jovi are not done yet they returned for additional with a second reprise of tunes 'Blood on Blood' and 'Some time or another I'll Be Saturday Night'.

It was a night of numerous hits, vitality and enthusiasm.