Dramatic, uplifting, eerie and emotional; Down Among The Dead Men, the opening number of John Paul Young's celebration of acclaimed Australian musical duo Harry Vanda and George Young, was an apt introduction to what was to follow, the singer shouting its climax to a flurry of fuzzed-out guitar backed by a tight rhythm section.
Young's duties throughout the evening went further than that of your standard frontman, with the Australian legend also taking on the role of storyteller and comedian, offering up engaging stories of the duo from their time in The Easybeats to the inception of Flash & The Pan and beyond.
The Allstar Band screamed the chorus of Hey St Peter before easing into six-part harmonies for St Louis and later playing a huge-sounding rendition of Aussie anthem, AC/DC's It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n 'Roll), illustrating not only the band's talents but the diverse songwriting elements implemented by Vanda & Young throughout their extensive career.
The history lesson continued, with Young detailing how he ended up branching out into a solo career, before performing his first hit single, Pasadena, a light-hearted love song that had everyone swaying in time. "That song is 47 years old," he pointed it out. "Scary shit, isn't it?"
The vocalist's long-winded anecdotes and jokes could have filled an hour-long set alone, each adding more depth and emotion to whatever song followed.
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The dizzying percussive onslaught of Standing In The Rain was so wild that even Young was caught up in it ("I've forgotten the words"). It was also wildly reminiscent of classic hit Love Is In The Air, and Young admitted if it wasn't for that B-side the mega-single might not have been conceived.
Ted Mulry's Falling In Love Again proved a set highlight, and the bouncing melodies of Keep On Smilin' had everyone shuffling around in the seats before The Easybeats' Friday On My Mind had the room on fire with an infectious energy that carried over into Where The Action Is.
Young reminisced on his time in Jesus Christ Superstar, specifically his relationship with Stevie Wright, which culminated in a performance of all three parts of Evie.
Love Is In The Air had punters on their feet (again) and set closers I Hate The Music and Yesterday's Hero cemented Vanda & Young's legacy, even though the show – as brilliant as it was – only scratched the surface of their genius.
