Live Review: Andy Bull, New Navy

Kicking the night off with tropical island vibes, Sydney three-piece New Navy showcased their forthcoming debut to a sold-out crowd. Their songs filled with dreamy guitar riffs, the band played a set almost as tight as their pants as they featured a good dose of unreleased material as well as sneaking in their 2011 crowd pleaser, Zimbabwe, right at the very end. Their 45-minute, high-energy set got the crowd bustling with excitement and left a sense of anticipation for the release of their long awaited debut LP.

There was a brief setback as Andy Bull and his band (Ned Cooke, Carlos Aduratook and Alex Bennison) took to the stage and tinkered with their equipment, but the audience was soon warmly washed away by Andy’s sensual falsettos. His emotion-driven music plucked the heartstrings of just about everyone inside the venue, prompting some to capture it on their devices. Andy didn’t like that, though, lambasting the culprits saying “Look at what it has come down to, this selfie shit”. Andy immediately apologised for briefly upsetting one particular fan, but the precedent has been set, so be warned Western Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

It was clear from the first song, Just One Expression, Just One Line, that Andy and his band had rehearsed this material to perfection. It was needed too, as it took a few songs until the sound equipment really got into full swing. His latest album, Sea Of Approval, is out now so the night was rightly spent celebrating his new material, with crowd pleasers Nothing is Wrong and Baby I Am Nobody Now garnering a full audience singalong whilst he and the band hit seamless transitions from pop electronica to acoustic.

Whilst we all fitted quite snug into the venue, some decided the best view was to go up – and not by the stairs – instead scrambling onto the shoulders of their friends. It was an intimate setting that suited Andy Bull and his band nicely. This Sea of Approval tour has been selling out around the nation and after last night’s show, it’s no wonder why. The faithful that bought tickets early clearly pleased Andy, as he thanked the audience when he returned for the desired encore.

Andy has an amazing voice and one that this reviewer would beg to hear in a larger venue with an orchestra supporting.