Live Review: David Bridie

Playing to a desolate Astor Lounge, David Bridie sauntered casually up to the stage before saluting the crowd.

Sadly, the mix of dwindling audience and modest venue made for a discomforting atmosphere. Bridie quickly overcame the awkwardness by launching into soulful renditions of Dr Seuss Is Painting In The Sky and Breath. His powerful, raw vocals immediately caught everyone’s attention. Moody opening tracks reverberated throughout the intimate arena, while stirring ballads created an earthy and uncompromising aura. In addition, the artist’s magnetic stage presence – digging into his keyboard with immense force – solidified his music’s emotional weight. Throughout the performance, Bridie projected haunting images of half-naked people, war-torn countries and the Australian wilderness onto the backdrop.

The first act, thanks to soul-filled deliveries of The Shortest Day Of The Year and Stoned In Kabul, became a sombre examination of Bridie’s professional and personal journeys. Despite the Nick Cave/Crowded House-esque blues-rock vibe, Bridie himself is balanced between existential thoughts and a bright sense of humour. Between songs, the folk icon created spirited back-and-forths with his limited audience. Divulging harrowing tales, funny anecdotes and strong opinions, his optimism and intelligence shone through. The small-scale performance, despite being overshadowed by Stereosonic and Ben Folds concerts that same night, became a profound and intriguing experience. He then crafted an ode to outback Australia and surrounding nations with touching versions of Salt, Dive and The Centre Cannot Hold. Bridie is a fascinating mixture of visceral musician, poetic lyricist and optimistic man. Similar to Midnight Oil and Men At Work, Bridie infused an anti-establishment agenda into his catchy blues-rock hits.

His set delivered a hearty mix of old-school hits and Wake tracks. Using percussive backing tracks for specific renditions, the singer-songwriter experimented with pop, electric and naturalistic sounds throughout. The second act shifted from freewheeling banter to meticulous political/social discussions.

Taking requests from his rambunctious audience, he delved headlong into some catchy numbers, among them Flatlands, Delegate and Kerosene. However, his version of cult classic Last Great Magician stunned the bare-bones crowd. Tuning and recalling hit songs on the go, his raw/jam sesh performance style became blisteringly entertaining. After charging through Hotel Radio and Another Girl, Another Planet, he finished with a heartbreaking version of Shatter. His encore tracks, You’re No Flower and Stumble Away, paid tribute to the crowd, the world and Australian music. This icon deserved a significantly better turnout.