Matt CorbyA shoeless Matt Corby arrives centrestage accompanied by a seven-piece band, and we're ready for the full experience. As the trickling keys of No Ordinary Life sprinkle across the stage we’re transported to the atmospheric universe Corby has created; as he sways and clicks his fingers, you can see he’s swept up in it himself.
During All Fired Up Corby grips the audience's attention tight purely thanks to the gobsmacking beauty of his exceptional voice. He is so precise and particular with the delivery – its raspy tonality and incredible range are why Corby’s voice is the centrepiece of his art. “I’m freaking out, this is hectic,” Corby declares in awe of the sea of people before him, as Sooth Lady Wine provides us with a flute solo and otherworldly harmonies from three female backing vocalists, which continue to mix superbly with Corby’s vocals.
Matt Corby. Photos by Renee Coster.The soft opening plucks to Brother cause the arena to erupt in a cheer, and the chorus of fans that belt out opening lines “Sleep now under my skin,” is earth-shaking. The delivery of the song that caught everyone's attention eight years ago was everything to be expected and so much more.
Corby rises up onto his tippy toes each time he hits a high note during Empires Attraction, a little quirk you can’t unsee for the rest of the night that demonstrates how deeply he feels the music through his entire body. “You guys have been a delicious crowd,” Corby says as fan favourite Resolution begins, and even though the world's three brightest stage lights shine in our eyes, the music is enough to deal with some temporary blindness.
Nothing could prepare anybody for Souls A’Fire. Everything about this performance is exceptional, from the insanely sharp vocal runs and pitch-perfect high notes to the sultry guitar licks and whirring keys. After walking off for less than two seconds Corby returns for his encore of Miracle Love, letting the crowd know it's been “one of the scariest gigs” he’s ever played. As the heartbreakingly emotive gospel track fills the arena, fans close their eyes and rock with arms around their friends, concluding a show full of exceptional artistry, musicality and a whole lot of soul, and leaving us knocked off our feet.
