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CHARLIE PITTMAN
+ Sam McGovern + Byjaye
@ The Vanguard, Sydney,
21st September 2025 
(Live Review)

Review by Paige Clifford

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Photo – Jack Craig

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Praise for CHARLIE PITTMAN

“…punchy alt-pop…” Rolling Stone

‘…soulful, emotively charged…” The Music

“…unique blend of introspective lyrics and catchy melodies…” Music Feeds

“… okay.again? is a six-track masterclass in storytelling…” Unraveled Edit

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The Vanguard in Newtown was lucky to host the second show of Charlie Pittman’s ‘okay.again?’ EP Tour on Sunday night. The venue, situated among a sea of live music on King Street, was set out like a mini theatre. Walking inside, there was a bar on the left, and a big open space past it. Green velvet curtains lined both walls, and red curtains framed the elevated stage. Vintage, shell-shaped lights lit up the colourful wallpaper and gold embellishments along the roof. I walked upstairs to find a balcony with booths and semicircle tables along a railing and took a seat to watch the show, feeling like a VIP.

The first opener for Pittman was Sam McGovern, a charming singer-songwriter from small-town Western Australia. He graced us with heartfelt lyrics while expertly playing the acoustic guitar, looping his finger picking, strumming, and percussion using the body of the guitar. But when he pulled out his harmonica, that’s when I knew we were in for a treat. He switched between playing the nostalgic instrument and his sultry vocals to achieve an authentic, Aussie sound. McGovern’s down-to-earth vibe was really reflected in his music, a mixture of blues and soul. ‘Everything Eventually Changes’ was a highlight of the set for me – I was honoured by his sharing of raw lyrics about life and his Nan’s passing. Even though the audience wasn’t full, McGovern made everyone feel special and encouraged us to sing along to his new single ‘Golden Girl’, despite us not knowing the words. He was incredibly endearing and grateful for the audience listening to him, and I’m excited to follow his journey going forward.

In stark genre contrast was the second opener of the night, byjaye, who brought an amalgamation of indiepop, R&B, rock, and even pop-punk influences into his performance. I don’t know about you, but I love when you can’t put your finger on one specific genre, because there’s so much cool stuff going on. The Western Sydney artist was accompanied by a drummer, and played the guitar himself, but at no point did the tracks feel anything but complete. There were evidently recorded elements which were effective, but it would be amazing to see Jaye play with a full band and be able to interact with people on stage. ‘Good Days’ was my favourite piece, with a funky beat and relevant lyrics, and Jaye making the comment that society is acting “blissfully ignorant” to the many atrocities of the present. Many of byjaye’s pieces had a kind of cheeky energy, so when he brought out his effortless and beautiful vocal runs, I was left surprised and impressed. Byjaye really excelled in his slower songs, which allowed his gorgeous voice to take centre stage, as well as behind the guitar, where his stage presence was stronger. His high register and falsetto were stunning and really stood out in his Bon Iver cover. He’s definitely made a fan out of me.

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And finally, the main act: Charlie Pittman. You wouldn’t have thought this was only his second stop on tour, based on how comfortable he was on The Vanguard stage. The small venue was now full, with fans eagerly pushing forward to the elevated platform. Pink, red, and blue LED lights illuminated Pittman’s band, as recorded synthy instrumentation and vocals, reminiscent of The 1975, came through the speakers. The music ceased for a moment, and the band launched us into ‘death row’, starting the set with a bang.

Charlie brought a youthful, infectious energy to the stage, especially for a Sunday night. Dressed in loose ties and white business shirts, his band reminded me of rebelling private school kids. Charlie stood slightly apart from this uniform, wearing a blue dress shirt, shorts, and a tie that looked as if it was about to crush his windpipe. But it didn’t affect his beautiful vocals at all.

If I had to describe the show simply, I’d say it was just a lot of fun, with Charlie on vocals and electric or acoustic guitar, depending on the song, Bryce on bass, Jacque on the drums, and the newest addition to the band, Maya, on guitar. The chemistry between them was really something to watch, as they danced around to the fusion of indie, pop, and rock music. When he wasn’t playing the guitar, Charlie pulled the corded microphone out of its stand and bopped around the stage. Charlie’s stage presence and charisma was that of a much larger artist – his energy could have filled an arena. His falsetto was strong and enchanting, and the recorded synth and backing vocals really tied the performance together. The band had a habit of making you think a song was over and stripping back, then bringing you back in with a drum fill and final chorus, which was super effective.

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Pittman has a very pure high register voice, but his lower notes, though less frequent, are powerful and resonant too. At times, he reminded me of Lewis Capaldi, vocally. Lyrically, his songs were fresh and relatable, with him describing his piece ‘casual’ as being a “song about being emotionally unavailable”. However, Pittman’s maturity shone through in more emotional pieces such as ‘dog, black’, which is about his late father who never got to witness his career unfold. It started softly and stripped back instrumentally, then brought back in the rest of the band in the last chorus – it was intense and beautiful.

Near the end of the show, Pittman asked the audience to choose which song he should cover acoustically, ‘Torn’ by Natalie Imbruglia or ‘This Is Me’ from the Disney film ‘Camp Rock’. The audience was torn between the choices (haha), and he sang a mashup of the two instead. Pittman’s voice was buttery smooth, and I would have loved to hear more acoustic pieces from him. This is what really drew the audience in and got them singing every word.

He evidently has a massive support system and a loyal following of fans, with them clapping in time to their favourite songs, and singing an evidently fan-made chant in his last song, to which he couldn’t help but chuckle into the microphone. I even met one of Pittman’s college friends prior to the show, who was visiting from the UK.

I would recommend catching Charlie and the band at some point on the ‘okay.again?’ tour. He’ll get you chanting, “One more song!”, just as myself and the rest of the audience did on Sunday night.

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Photo – Jack Craig

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CHARLIE PITTMAN
‘okay.again?’
Australian Tour Dates

Saturday September 20 – The Workers Club, Melbourne, VIC
with specials guests Pretty Bleak & Effie Isobel

Sunday September 21 – The Vanguard, Sydney, NSW
with special guests byjae, Sam McGovern

Thursday September 25 – Lefty’s Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD
with special guests Pretty Bleak, Repeater

Saturday September 27 – Milk Bar, Perth, WA
with special guests Sam McGovern, Eliane

October 15-18 – SXSW Sydney, NSW

UK SHOW DATES

Wednesday October 1- Lending Room, Leeds, UK (supporting The Manatees)
Friday October 3 – Cluny 2, Newcastle, UK (supporting The Manatees)
Saturday October 11 – Omeara, London, UK (supporting The Manatees)
Saturday November 15 – Live At Leeds Festival, Leeds, UK

For all touring and ticket information HERE

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‘okay.again?’ EP
OUT NOW
ON ISLAND RECORDS AUSTRALIA

‘okay.again?’ EP
Track List

death row
the comedown
casual
mouth on my sleeve
think later
how i feel?

FOLLOW CHARLIE PITTMAN HERE

About CHARLIE PITTMAN

Charlie spent his childhood in England before moving back to Australia. In 2024, Charlie Pittman released his debut EP ‘nothing is forever’ via Island Records Australia, that contained the heartbreaking ode to grief ‘dog, black.’ With over 1.5 million streams Charlie has garnered strong support across DSP’s, triple j and BBC Radio 1 Future Hits. He has supported The Band Camino, Drax Project, Loretta, performed at Liverpool Sound City, BIGSOUND 2024 along with sold-out London and Australian headline shows.  Charlie is also a Drama school and football academy graduate. Charlie is signed to Select Music in Australia and 13 Artists (Arctic Monkeys, Inhaler, Joan, Tame Impala, Radiohead) in the UK.

Interview with CHARLIE PITTMAN
(26th September 2025)
HERE

COMING SOON TO YOUTUBE

Press Release 19th September 2025 (below) HERE

CHARLIE PITTMAN
sophomore EP
‘okay. again?’
out today 

BUY LINK HERE

& Shares new single
 ‘How I Feel’

‘okay.again?’
Australian Tour
starts tomorrow

PERFORMING AT SXSW SYDNEY

Returns to UK to support THE MANATEES (OCT) +

‘LIVE AT LEEDS’ FESTIVAL  (NOV)

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AMNPLIFY – DB