Live Review: Lior, Domini Forester, The Hawkes

When the line to enter Corner Hotel sneaks all the way down Stewart Street, you know something good's going on. Long-time fan Frankie declares the reason why – “Half the girls here lust after a Jewish boy with curly hair,” she explains. Tonight, said boy with curly hair, Lior, brings his Scattered Reflections national tour home to Melbourne.

Keyboard sensation Gerard Masters opens the night singing sweet songs with the help of new band The Hawkes. Heartfelt balladeer Domini Forster is up next, taking the stage with nothing but a ukulele, pixie-like charm and a big, beautiful, soulful voice.

Lior arrives onstage to raucous applause with a five-piece band that includes Masters on keys and percussionist Bree Van Reyk. Debuting tracks from his beautifully crafted new album, upbeat numbers such as Bells Of Montreal, I Remember Me and Help Me Up explore Lior's travels. Taking a seat in front of the mic, Lior debuts finger-picking acoustic beauties Out In The Country, A Lift In The Morning Fog and Learn To Live which, although mostly enchanting, sees some of the more easily distracted punters at the back bar chatting loudly throughout. All eyes whip back toward the stage thanks to The Lion Sleeps Tonight-sounding percussion and bass intro into old favourite Autumn Flow. Lior evidently enjoys himself singing this joyous tune with its gorgeous rolling-down-the-scale guitar riff. When introducing Heal Me, Lior reveals his proudest career moment to date: the heartfelt song with its plaintive cries to a lover became the hold music for Virgin Australia's ticket booking hotline for a while.

Lior then introduces the autobiographical ode My Grandfather, plucking away alone like an acoustic waltz through the past. The touching song clearly resonates with the crowd who stand almost silent throughout. Taking the vibe back up with a grooving bluesy intro to popular tune Daniel, the crowd sings along happily once they figure out what on earth he is playing. Ending the night with much-anticipated favourite This Old Love, it's almost as if an impromptu 'Corner Hotel Laydeez Choir' shows up to provide back-ups, such is the crowd's love for this sweet, romantic beauty. Lior successfully seduces all with this intimate, heartfelt night of love for beautiful music. And gorgeous curly hair.