Live Review: Bernard Fanning, Big Scary, Vance Joy

The songs were short and snappy, the band was tight and the booze was flowing, and that's pretty much exactly what everyone needed at Bernard Fanning's sold-out show on Sunday night. With what was supposed to be the final show of the current tour, before the sheer popular demand brought about another, the crowds came in early to see the supports, and everyone was home by bedtime on the dreary Sunday evening.

The night kicked off with triple j newcomer Vance Joy. Playing a set of fairly basic acoustic numbers, he brought the audience in with a sweet and smoky falsetto and finished with his hit of the moment, Riptide.

Next up were Big Scary, a two-piece consisting of Tom Iansek and Jo Syme, who are also well circulated on the j's, playing their quirky brand of indie rock. True to that description, Big Scary (plus a very talented bassist/synth player) performed songs of bizarre and adventurous drum beats, flourishes on the piano, low drones and ominous tones, all held up by the bassist.

After a very lengthy soundcheck (totally worth it) it was time for Bernard Fanning himself to grace the stage, everyone of course making sure he knew he was welcome. The sound was immediately and immensely more pristine and precise than the previous acts, and the band really showed that they were worth their salt from the get-go. Two songs into the set, they all launched into the latest single, Battleships, which if you have enjoyed at all on record, is a hundred times better on stage: it was a monstrous performance of the tune. It also became apparent in this song that the drummer  was very used to losing his drumsticks; as one went flying halfway through the song, he had another in his hand and didn't even miss a beat.

All in all, it was a pretty rock'n'roll set, but probably the most profound moment saw Fanning singing the title track of his latest album, Departures, all about the loss of his brother and father, which really reached out and touched the audience in its harmonious choruses.