Live Review: Anne-Marie, Naations

Electronic dance duo Naations has no trouble warming up the crowd before the main act tonight. “Should we have a rave beforehand?” says vocalist Nat Dunn, before she belts out her rich and soulful tones accompanied by some thumping rhythmic beats from her right hand man Nicky Night Time. Their set brings huge vibes with plenty of club bangers to fill the dancefloor. Naations has collaborated with some noteworthy producers for their songs including Duke Dumont and Gorgon City for the feel-good summer anthem Real Life and worked with Scissor Sisters’ Baby Daddy on their latest EP Teardrop. They leave a lasting impression on the audience after a high quality performance that leaves us wanting more. 

Anne-Marie arrives on stage in a leopard print outfit and is ready to party. “I’m gonna go through a lot of songs – some you will know, some you won’t and some you’ll be really annoyed about ‘cause you’ve heard them so many times but we’re gonna get through it together,” she shouts excitedly. As she kicks off her set, she reveals Do It Right is a particularly special track because she filmed the video right here in Melbourne. The crowd joins in by jumping around with her to the energetic chorus until everyone’s out of breath.

Speaking her mind is something Anne-Marie isn’t afraid to do. It’s clear that she’s comfortable in her own skin and she encourages her fans to do the same by loving themselves for who they are. As she performs her next single Perfect, she tells us a lot of weird things about herself and asks us to make some noise if we can relate. Inevitably the crowd goes wild. Her honesty and down-to-earth nature is refreshing and makes the gig feel very intimate and a lot more fun.

“I write love songs about my ex-boyfriends and I’ve been through a lot of pain but being able to write it down is a real blessing. I write through the process and I grow so much stronger,” Anne-Marie reveals. Ciao Adios is one of those songs written when she could finally say goodbye to that person. Bad Girlfriend takes it one step further and teases a bit of revenge to get back at an ex. She’s gifted with a t-shirt from a fan in the front row and puts it over her outfit to wear for the rest of the show.

She powers through hit after hit with 2002, Alarm and her recent chart-topper with David Guetta Don’t Leave Me Alone. She even brings out surprise guest Illy to perform their collaboration Catch 22 for the very first time live together for what is an unforgettable moment. She takes a seat on the floor to begin one of her slower paced songs Then before standing up to belt out a huge chorus with an incredible vocal delivery that even leaves her feeling very emotional and even a little bit teary. 

It’s exciting for fans to know that she’s already booked her return to Australia for another tour next year so they won’t have to wait too long to see her again. After a quick photo with everyone in the room, she sings her popular song with Marshmallow F.R.I.E.N.D.S and encourages us to get crazy and not worry about work tomorrow as she high fives everyone’s hands in the front row.