Live Review: Paul Kelly Presents The Merri Soul Sessions

Luckily the weather held out for Paul Kelly’s first twilight concert on the sprawling lawns of Taronga Zoo. Last night people turned up in droves to hear one of Australia’s best singer-songwriters, picnic under the stars and take in the spectacular view of the harbour.

Kelly took the stage with five other prodigious vocalists – Vika and Linda Bull, Clairy Browne, Kira Puru and Dan Sultan – all of whom worked with him on his twentieth and latest album, The Merri Soul Sessions. Last night’s concert was dedicated to showcasing that new album, as well as celebrating some well-loved classics, How To Make Gravy, Dumb Things and Look So Fine Feel So Low among them. The sound quality particularly warrants a mention, as it was astoundingly good, especially for an outdoor concert.

What really stood out were the absolutely flawless performances by all artists involved. It was a fantastic collaboration between unique voices that could easily hold their own, but the collective effect of everyone together was phenomenal. Each vocalist brought a different quality to Kelly’s classic songs, as well as some of the new ones. The Bull sisters had the sassiest stage presence and absolutely roared; Clairy Browne let loose with a Gladys Knight-esque range and tone, while Kira Puru brought it home in a duet of The Dark End Of The Street. Dan Sultan ripped it up and provided some truly righteous vocals as well as a couple of beautiful harmonies. All six ended the night on a beautiful note with an a cappella version of Meet Me In The Middle Of The Air.

Kelly himself was simply fantastic. A living Australian music legend, it was a privilege to see him perform live. Delivering a performance that was at once intimate and huge in sound, Kelly proved that he’s still got it and isn’t going to stop any time soon.