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NORMIE ROWE
Live @ Hamer Hall,
The Arts Centre, Melbourne,
18th September 2023
(Live Review)

Review by Linda Memphis (@itslindamemphis)

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In Australia during the mid to late sixties, Normie Rowe was the biggest teen idol in the country. The Melbourne born twice-crowned King of Pop had the girls not only swooning and screaming, but causing riots at his shows. His songs were hit records and – relatively rare for the times – he was successful overseas too, both in England and in the US. But at the very peak of his career, his success was cut short by a compulsory conscription to serve in Vietnam, which he did from 1968 through to 1970. Shunned by the industry after his return due to strong anti-war sentiment, Normie Rowe not only successfully rebuilt his career, but also managed to carve out an enduring place in Australian entertainment history. Cut to 2023 and he’s back onstage at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall for a morning and afternoon show as part of The Art Centre’s ‘Morning Melodies’ series.

Yes, the teenagers of the sixties may have grown old(er), but they’re certainly still young at heart and this morning, they’re out in force. You can feel the excitement in the theatre lobby as they wait to see their Normie, and – there’s a seriously young vibe in the room. Given that most of the crowd are in their 70’s, this should surprise me, but strangely, it doesn’t. Because as a music fan, I know this is what music does – music inspires us, it makes us lighter, it lifts us up – and that doesn’t change just because you’re a little older. Once inside the theatre, I realise that the place is filled all the way back up to the third tier. Brilliant!

From the moment he walks onstage, Normie Rowe commands the room. And there is a tangible bond here, between the audience and him – there’s love, admiration, respect, and gratitude too, that they’re all here back together once more, doing what they love – and that goes for performer and audience alike. “It’s good to be here!” Normie tells the crowd, adding, “and at our age, it’s good to be anywhere!”. He knows exactly where they’re at in life, and it’s his way of saying, hey, you know, so what? Enjoy! And he does. And so do they!

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Normie kicks things off with his biggest selling record – 1965’s ‘Que Sera Sera’. The song was originally recorded a decade earlier by fifties icon Doris Day, but Normie Rowe and the Playboys version however, well…they sent it straight through to the sixties with a swingin’ arrangement that still stands strong today. Live, Normie takes us through both versions but it’s the groovy keyboard one that works best. And oh yeah (yeah yeah)! Normie Rowe still captures the sound of the sixties just as perfectly as The Beatles ever did. He moves from ‘Que Sera Sera’ straight into ‘Ooh La La’, another number one hit for him back in the day. Rowe is amazing. At the ripe old age of 76 his voice is still absolutely superb – and bonus, he’s one of those talented vocalists who sound just as great in concert as they do on record.

Normie Rowe’s set is a solid mix of highlights from his impressive career. There’s more hits from the sixties – ‘Stones That I Throw’, ‘Pride and Joy’, ‘It Aint Necessarily So’ – and my favourite, ‘It’s Not Easy’ (I love how he stops the song to let the audience sing along). But he has something far more substantial to offer than just a trip down memory lane – and the audience are all in for the ride. This is a crowd who’ve watched, firsthand, as their Normie has grown from pop idol to accomplished entertainer – and they are plenty proud of the man that he’s become. The show moves from pop songs to songs that reflect Rowe’s Vietnam experience, to musical theatre, and back again. In between, Rowe keeps things light with a series of unexpected quips, that at times, both shock and delight. That’s our Normie!

For Rowe, 1968 was the year rock ‘n roll turned into war – an unimaginable experience. ’20 Years Ago’ is one of my favourite songs of the morning, beautifully sung and perfectly suited to Rowe’s voice. It tells the story of a man returning to the town where he grew up – a man reflecting on his life and his childhood friend, who died in the Vietnam War. Normie Rowe sings the song with insight, perfect nuance, and an incredible vocal delivery. It literally brings tears to my eyes. He sings from a place that few Australian performers will ever know, and I have to admit, I have rarely seen anyone deliver a song with such resonance as Normie Rowe does on this one. ’20 Years Ago’ leads us into ‘What’ve You Done For Australia’, which also reflects on the Vietnam experience. I wonder what goes through Normie Rowe’s head as he shares these songs with us. Despite the years, they cannot be easy to sing. Perhaps the memories are somehow melded with the music, and there is some catharsis in the delivery. I hope so.

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‘Bring Him Home’ is a song Rowe performed as part of the 1987 run of Les Miserables (over 600 performances in all). He introduces it as, “the hardest song I’ve ever had to sing…it reminded me of all the Mums and Dads of all those young Vietnam soldiers…the heart-wrenching news that came to them.” He delivers it perfectly, displaying a vocal range and depth not seen in any of his songs so far. It’s yet another face to this incredibly talented performer.

At one point towards the later part of the show, Normie brings drummer Graeme Trottman (‘Trotta’) to the front of the stage. Trotta, 81 years young and an original member of The Playboys, has been with Normie since the very beginning. Rowe uses the opportunity to present him with an original ACME Thunderer whistle (at least I think that’s what it’s called!), a throwback to the whistle used in ‘Que Sera Sera’. There’s photos and a huge appreciative hug before Trotta returns to the back of the stage. Amazing.

The morning ends with, of course, Rowe’s massive Australian number one hit, ‘Shakin’ All Over’. And he’s still got it – he still owns it! His voice still has all the hints of rrwwaaarrr that made his version of the song, the best that was ever recorded. And here we are to experience it!

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There’s cheers and applause and a standing ovation as he leaves the stage and before too long he’s back for an encore – ‘I Who Have Nothing’, his second record, a top ten hit from 1965. He interacts with the crowd, encouraging them to sing along – leaving gaps for them to fill in the “I Love You” lyrics (with hilarious results) – but it’s the single punter calling out, “We love you” as the song ends, that’s the best comeback of all.

I love that Normie Rowe so fabulously evokes the sixties sound as only he can. And the years have not dimmed his presence. He still has Charisma with a capital C, and he reaches the people all the way up the back of the theatre in exactly the same way that he reaches those in the front rows. Normie Rowe draws you in just by being…well…him! Add to that the consummate entertainer he’s become, and it’s pretty easy to understand why the crowds keep coming back to see him.

As the show ends, he tells the audience that he’ll be out in the lobby to meet people and sign autographs, if they’d like. I’m guessing there’ll be quite a queue who’ll take him up on the offer. After all, it’s not every day you get to say thank you to a true Australian music icon.

No, scratch that.

Normie Rowe, AO – is indeed – a living legend.

Setlist

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Follow NORMIE ROWE
Website – Facebook – Twitter

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AMNPLIFY – DB