Live Review: Andy Bull, Cub Sport, Lanks

Andy Bull’s first stop on his Talk Too Much tour was at Adelaide’s The Gov and ironically he did just that.

One would expect a relaxed evening from Sydney’s king of synth-pop but last night he revealed his amusing stage persona. Still riding the success of his 2014 album, Sea Of Approval, fans were treated to an evening of ‘80s-influenced pop.

Lanks aka Will Cuming warmed up the crowd with his tender voice and lush, looping beats. The Melbourne musician he creates beautiful soundscapes with just a guitar and laptop, effortlessly shifting between moods, from the funky Beach Houses to the mesmerising Hold Me Closer. The brief flute solo was a pleasant surprise and hopefully we see more of it in future.

Brisbane’s Cub Sport, previously known as Cub Scout, followed, serenading the crowd with their delightful, tropical pop, the four-piece giving off a slick ‘80s vibe, all bouncy synths and heavenly falsetto. But this didn’t match their all black attire. Lead singer Tim Nelson’s smooth vocals were swoon-worthy while the keyboardist was thrusting enthusiastically to his groovy hooks. Paradise is literally happiness in song form and the breezy Told You So featured a killer keyboard solo. So adorable and polite, they are almost too innocent to be covering Beyoncé, but their mash-up of Drunk In Love, Flawless and Crazy In Love was sweet and sultry. Cub Sport oozed coolness and definitely took a piece of everyone’s heart.

Grinning widely, Andy Bull then appeared on stage and took a seat behind his keyboards. Beginning with album opener, Just One Expression, Just One Line, together with his band they slowly built a wall of swelling synths and bright guitars. He played through favourites Baby I Am Nobody Now, Loved Like You and Nothing Is Wrong while the crowd bopped happily along. There has to be something said of Bull’s voice – it draws you in, conveying his feelings perfectly, whether it’s pleasure or a more brooding moment.

While he may sing of heartbreak, on stage Bull revealed his unabashed sense of humour. When his sweater came off to reveal a black T-shirt, the hollers of, “Take your pants off!’” began but he wasn’t shy about talking back. No, he wasn’t going to get his dick out, he said, but that one person in the crowd continued to be insistent. Throughout the night the contrast between Bull’s thoughtful pop music and hilarious banter was unexpected but gave his performance personality. He returned to older track Dog, which had been a collaboration with Lisa Mitchell, and brought back the magic with a cover of Tears For Fears’ Everybody Wants To Rule The World. When Bull announced that this would be his last song the crowd looked at their phones in disappointment. It felt like time had flown by but his fans were eagerly awaiting Talk Too Much and Keep On Running.

Bull was slightly worried about what reviewers in the audience would write of him: “He’s a bit shit and he talks about dicks all the time,” he joked. Andy Bull, you are far from ‘shit’. It’s wonderful to see a performer so comfortable on stage and with his fans. With the rest of the country still to tour, there are sure to be more heart-warming moments to come.