Live Review: Jarryd James, Meg Mac

Beneath a spotlight and bathed in a smoky cloud, Meg Mac confidently begins to play the piano for her two-part opening intro with Be My Friend/Before Trouble. Her vocals are powerful and full of soul.

Decked out in her signature black outfit with her lucky hat and white polka dot scarf, she's ready for the final show of her first co-headline tour. Mac's younger sisters are doin' it for themselves over on supporting vocals stage right with fantastic accompanying harmonies in this family affair.

The backdrop of pulsating lights matches the heavy drumbeat of the dark and eerie Turning. Taking a few sneaky sips of water midway through Every Lie she apologies and tells us she's a bit thirsty after a long flight. We can easily forgive her short pause as she continues with some incredible notes to follow during a cover of Jimmy Ruffin's What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted.

To celebrate the end of the very special tour she shares a brand new song that has us hooked from the very first listen. Mac never fails to impress with her live performance of St Philomene. She asks us to be quiet as she records live loops of her French vocals and pats her chest to create sound effects that tie together in an impressive aural experience.

Jarryd James is next. Starting off in order with the first two songs from Thirty One, Sell It To Me and Underneath, James introduces us to his ethereal falsetto and soulful raspy tones to instantly soothe our souls.

"Are there any Meg Mac fans?" he asks us. He apologises if the audience doesn't like his music but promises we'll learn to love it if we stay and listen. He tells us a couple of things — firstly he warns that he's extremely un-photogenic and secondly he lets us know he can see all of our faces and he feeds off the audience's energy as he and his band play with intense emotion.

Special guest Julia Stone joins James on stage for a duet of Regardless and he ends with his biggest song Do You Remember as the audience gives him an overwhelming response by singing the final bridge back to him.

What would a co-headline tour of two of Australia's biggest breakthrough artists be without an encore duet? They give us exactly what we are hoping for as Mac joins James on stage for a cover of the Ray Charles classic I'm Going Down To The River. Their vocals come together and it is a match made in heaven and a moment we'll never forget.