Project Description

JOHN BUTLER TRIO
+ MISSY HIGGINS
+ STELLA DONNELLY
@KINGS PARK 
01/02/19
(Live Review)

Reviewer: Pete Gardner

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After a world tour through the US, Canada and Europe John Butler brings his unique and rare talent home to Perth Kings Park, for the first of two sold out shows. Billed as a double header with Missy Higgins, the Perth crowd were rewarded with a night of great performances by two giants of Australian music at the top of their game.

Kings Park is a wonderful regular summer venue, set in a natural shallow amphitheatre, with the stage built over the lake at the bottom. People are encouraged to bring a hamper and a blanket and enjoy great music, under the beautiful Perth summer night sky. Tonight was no exception with the scorching heat of the day cooling off in the evening breeze, making for a perfect evening as WA’s own rising star Stella Donnelly opened proceedings for the early arrivals, setting up their picnics.

I have been waiting for a chance to see Stella Donnelly perform and I am very happy to say I was not disappointed. Her Debut EP Thrush Metal has been widely acclaimed, and she releases her debut album Beware of the Dogs on 8th March.

Beginning her set alone on the stage, Stella’s voice is clear and bright as she sings with a wide smile on her face belying the sharp acidic lyrics in her songs. Debuting songs from the new release, including You Owe Me, Beware of the Dogs, and Boys will be Boys.

The tempo lifts as the band arrive on stage to perform Seasons Greetings with her 16 year old brother Jack playing his first show with the band. New songs Watching Telly, Lunch and Old Man plus a cover of Paul Kelly’s Careless are all well received by the crowd. The set finishes with the more upbeat Tricks and a curtailed version of Mean to Me as she runs into her stage curfew. Donnelly’s performance and voice never falter throughout the set despite her self confessed nerves. We will be seeing and hearing much more of her in the future.

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STELLA DONNELLY // Photo – Adrian Thomson

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Missy Higgins takes the stage at her piano, telling us she is easing into her set as her band has been suffering from the flu. Her unique and beautiful voice fills the amphitheatre as she accompanies herself on Nightminds. It is over ten years since I last saw Missy live and I am transfixed from the opening notes, wondering why I waited this long to see her again.

Missy is joined by her band, and after a brief story about touring with John Butler as she was just starting out, the band perform Arrows, a song written for her husband and performed for him on their wedding day. Old and new songs are interspersed with stories about the tribulations of touring with a young family. Don’t Ever is followed by Going North, and 49 Candles, about the Pulse Nightclub mass Shooting in Orlando in June 2016. Missy’s voice soars during this emotionally charged song, and I feel shivers down my spine.

Lifting the mood Futon Couch tells the story of meeting her Husband in Broome. The Taylor Swiftesque hook in the song leaves me thinking Taylor would benefit from a few lessons from Missy in how to sing with heart.

Missy introduces Song for Sammy, written as a lullaby to one of her babies. As she sings I hear her voice falter for the first time, and on returning to the piano, Missy nonchalantly makes herself a cup of honey tea as she chats to the audience, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. It seems that her throat infection is catching up with her. Not that you would notice as she flawlessly delivers All for Believing, the power and experience in Missy’s voice elevating the song to a new plane well above the original on her first EP in 2003.

The band return for a couple of songs from the most recent album Solastalgia, Red Moon and The Difference, before Missy returns to the piano for The Special Two, the band joining in lifting the song to an emotional climax. Apologising for her voice being a little rough due to the flu Missy sees out the set a little early to huge cheers with Scar and Steer, the band doing full justice to the songs as the sun descends behind the stage.

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MISSY HIGGINS // Photo – Adrian Thomson

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The John Butler Trio arrive on stage early with the mighty percussive introduction to Wade in the Water as the stage explodes in light and colour, Butler the master of the slide guitar cranks up as his distinctive vocals fill the night air to huge cheers. The Trio – John Butler, Bryon Luiters on bass, and Grant Gerathy on drums are joined by Lozz Benson and Michael Hardy on percussion and backing vocals. The sound is magnificent, a tribute to the JBT sound engineers as well as the band themselves.

Acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, Butler launches into Tahitian Blue, the opener from the new album, followed by a switch to the banjo as the crowd bounce and sing along to Better Than. Running Away has Butler dancing across the stage whist simultaneously displaying his sheer brilliance as a guitarist.

An almost acapella intro to Better Man has the crowd joining in as Butler plays a haunting turn on a 12 string slide guitar before punching up several gears. The song climaxing in a blistering solo on the 12 string, before shading back ethereally drawing out sounds I’ve never heard from a guitar such as this. The tone for the night is set.

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JOHN BUTLER TRIO // Photo – Adrian Thomson

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Faith, from the new album, Home, is delivered beautifully, and Butler gives a masterclass in what can be done with a fender Telecaster pushing the guitar to its limits on Blame it On Me. Introducing Coffee, Methadone and Cigarettes Butler talks emotionally about his family, especially his father, Butlers singing voice raw and mournful as he delivers such a personal song. Pickapart breaks the tension, the Trio are incredibly tight, Gerathy doing amazing things on a very basic kit and Luiters driving a wonderfully funky bass, with both giving space for Butler’s guitar to colour well outside the lines.

Taking a seat alone on stage for Ocean, Butler tells how he used to play the song at Fremantle markets, and how it has stayed with him over the years. Ocean is a delight every time I hear it live, Butler demonstrating incredible lightness of touch and an amazing repertoire of techniques as sound rises and falls, watching him play is hypnotic. I turn to my wife standing next to me and I am surprised to see a tear rolling down her cheek, she smiles at me and just says “it’s so beautiful it makes me cry”

Ragged Mile featuring a stunning drum trio, gives way to Just Call, a joyous song Butler wrote about meeting his wife. Don’t Wanna See your Face with its funky bass line is a lot of fun.

Introducing the final number of the main set, Butler calls for a state-wide ban on fracking in WA, the crowd cheering in agreement. We Want More builds to a climax with all band members coming forward and closing out with a phenomenal drumming quintet.

Wasting no time getting back on stage, Butler sings Home, the title track of the new album and his only song of the night with no guitar, before lifting the mood back up with Funky Tonight, the crowd bouncing and singing along. The night finishing with crowd favourite Zebra, Butler conducting a call back sing along, with the crowd note perfect.

The John Butler Trio are absolute masters of their craft, every time I see them play they just get better and better. It may only be the start of February, but this may well have just been the gig of the year.

Check out Adrian Thomson‘s gallery of the show here

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