Last night, Ben Lee took the stage at Brisbane’s Princess Theatre for his Awake Is The New Sleep 20th Anniversary Tour. With a flower-laden stage reminiscent of the record, Lee charmed the crowd with earnest, fun anecdotes that captured the origin of each track, and, of course, had the whole venue dancing.

Lee admitted that he had never thought to do a reunion tour, but “the thing about not being in your 20s anymore is that you learn it’s nice to do things for other people,” Lee said when he took the stage.

“I'd better play this thing in order; that’s the way these things happen. Listening to a record from start to fucking end.”

Lee developed an instant rapport with the audience, his often self-depricating stories and romantic fumbles ingratiating himself as he made his way through the 14 tracks. The Awake Is The New Sleep record is Lee’s most successful, with the 2x Platinum record earning a place in the 100 Greatest Australian Albums book.

The record was rich with nostalgia, transporting the audience to 2005 when Catch My Disease was dominating the airwaves, and the album's theme of hope and love set it apart from the dense indie-rock vibe prevalent in Australia at the time.

When the hit Catch My Disease played at track four, Lee lamented that this is what he usually plays at the end of his shows, not right at the start. Lee replaced the names of the bands and groups in the original track (they play Sleepy Jackson on the radio) with Amyl and the Sniffers. He also revealed that his manager had concerns at the time about Lee writing ‘they don’t play me on the radio, and that’s the way I like it’, worrying that he would send “mixed messages to the music industry”. 

He also reminisces about playing Catch My Disease at SXSW in 2005 when Missy Higgins jumped on stage to join him, and then pretended to introduce her to the stage to sing it with him, only to say he was joking to the amusement of the audience.

“And now we will move into the much hornier songs. You’re all old enough now. Older people are boning down more than ever before. We should keep that tradition going for millennials and Gen Z,” Lee joked.

Apple Candy is a yearning song, which Lee says he was channelling Peter Gabriel when he wrote it. “Peter Gabriel writes the world's horniest songs. It's the baldness. When you lose your hair, you sharpen your horniness,” said Lee.

The constant dialogue with the audience really did make it feel like the reunion was shared, and Lee breaking the fourth wall was an invitation for us to finally poke our heads out the back and see the musings and stories that brought us the songs that have meant so much to us for two decades. 

We’re All In This Together was another song that had the audience belting out the lyrics, and Lee admitted that his opinion of the song changes over time, but it feels hyper-relevant at the moment.

“The vibe changes with the time. At times, I've thought it was the corniest shit ever, and so saccharine. And then there are times like now when the world is the way it is, and it feels like a balm. My greatest wish would be that this song is not necessary. But until then…” said Lee before launching into the hit.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the show was the second-last track, Light, which is more of a jam track than the rest of the flavour of the album. He remarked, “Boy, were we stoned when we recorded that one, let me tell you!” 

The nearly ten-minute song features a long saxophone solo, and Lee surprised the audience by revealing that he had found an emerging saxophone player in every city they were playing in, and the Brisbane show was treated to Ben, the saxophonist. Lee revealed that they had not rehearsed at all, but in a live setting, with the saxophonist jamming with Lee on guitar, it was unreal to witness and one hell of a conclusion to a great show.

Sally Seltmann was a fantastic choice for a support act, and she cut a beautiful silhouette sitting in front of her keyboard, drowned in a pink light. Seltmann played tracks from her three albums, including her most recent album, 2022’s Early Moon. At one stage, Lee crouched down to pick up a single earring.

“I think I have found one of Sally Seltmann’s earrings. That’s good luck in New South Wales. If you find one of Sally’s earrings, it’s seven years good luck.”

For anyone who has hesitated to attend a reunion tour, there is something healing about seeing an artist who is so special to you play a record that meant so much to you at a certain point in time. Lee understood the importance of his music and the impact it had made on the diverse demographic of punters at last night's show.

“I’m so excited you guys came. You do these things, and you never know. But you all look so happy,” said Lee.