Matt CorbyYou'd be forgiven for thinking that the British indie folk outfit Bears Den were in fact the headliners at the Hordern Pavilion when they took to the stage last Friday night. Their slightly awkward yet humble attitude and warm folk sound captured the crowd's attention from the get-go and had them cheering and clapping for more. Pompeii and Agape stood out as the gems of their 40-minute set, which was easily strong enough to be the main act. However, this crowd couldn't be satisfied. Not until the 16-year-old girls and 30-year-old women, who were brought together in a moment of screaming hysteria, caught a glimpse of the wonder-boy that is Matt Corby.
As soon as Corby stepped out from the shadows on stage, the venue was filled with squeals and proclamations of love from adoring females and males alike – one teenage boy confided in his friend that he “loves Matty, not in the gay way but just 'cause he's mad”. The 22-year-old artist was his usual quiet and charming self, although it was immediately apparent he needed only to murmur into the microphone to receive the aforementioned frenzied reaction from the crowd.
Covering new ground from his latest EP Resolution, as well as some older crowd favourites, Corby's powerful voice filled the dark, cavernous venue with ease. The ARIA hit Brother had the crowd chanting along to the lyrics and saw the dim space immediately illuminated by the lights of iPhones capturing the moment on film. Song after song his innocent, gentle manner was completely transformed by an incredible, unrestrained release of energy and aggression towards the end of each track. Resolution was a predictable crowd favourite, while his rendition of Big Eyes with Bree Tranter had the audience at a complete standstill during a silent moment that almost seemed spiritual. Corby even gave the crowd a taste of his beat-boxing and scatting skills during Trick of the Light, just to prove that he really is a musical genius. His mesmerising voice captivated the crowd for an entire 90 minutes – a spell that was broken by a climatic performance of My False at the conclusion of the set. The only thing that punters could possibly have left the Hordern Pavilion unsatisfied by was the fact that they were not dating Matt Corby.
