Live Review: Vance Joy, Gossling, Teeth & Tongue

There's no doubt about James Keogh's growing star power at the moment. The Melburnian, better known by his stage moniker Vance Joy, has enjoyed a momentous year since dropping his debut EP in early 2013 which has included sell-out shows overseas and a cruisy #1 on triple j's Hottest 100 for his breakthrough single, Riptide. Therefore it was no surprise to hear how swiftly his Australian tour sold out, even seeing an extra show added to keep up with demand. One of these shows was at the Metro in Sydney, which was without a doubt crammed to capacity with eager fans.

Fellow Melburnians Teeth & Tongue did a solid job kicking off the night with what was a crowd largely disinterested in hearing anything other than the headliner. Similarly Gossling managed to keep the audience captivated through a set largely focused on her debut album, Harvest Of Gold. If Vance Joy is the king of the Australian music scene at the moment, there's a place next to him for Gossling, whose unique vocals and beautiful harmonies really got through to the somewhat apathetic crowd.

Finally it was time for the man of the moment, and boy did he jump right into the good stuff. Starting with his debut single From Afar, Joy jumped from one melodic tune to another. Whether it be strumming along on his ukulele for the bittersweet build-up of Play With Fire or singing karaoke-style to a heartwarming (if not a little tame) cover of The Masters Apprentices' Because I Love You, Vance Joy displayed why he is worth all the fuss. The slow-burning, sweet Snaggletooth was a big highlight earlier in the set, showcasing both Joy's gift as a songwriter and his natural vocal talent. Similarly, Wasted Time built up nicely into a toe-tapping singalong, and easily paved the way for the catchy, breezy Riptide, which hands-down garnered the biggest response.

Props to all of the musicians during the night who tolerated the overwhelming number of audience members insisting on talking loudly during any song that they weren't completely familiar with. This was a great line-up filled with the some of the best Melbourne has to offer, and it was embarrassing that they had to play for a largely disinterested Sydney audience. Those who did bother to pay attention though were largely rewarded with a showcase of truly captivating talent.