Live Review: Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos, Abbe May

Standing to the far left of stage in all black, Abbe May treats listeners to some of her early blues-tinged hits before previewing tracks from her forthcoming album Bitchcraft. Single Are We Flirting? and the catchy Doomsday Clock showcase a funkier, soul-driven pop side to May that wins her a few new fans based on the hearty applause she receives.

Few Australian singer songwriters are as enigmatic as Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett. A towering presence, Garrett possesses a commanding and distinct voice — his live return is a blessing. Having lost none of his flair as a performer since the Oils disbanded, the former politician is a hub of energy and emotion. His epileptic-like dance moves are mesmerising, with Garrett's bald head dripping sweat as he struts and shakes around the stage in a way that only he can. Supported by his immensely talented backing band The Alter Egos - comprising Oils guitarist Martin Rotsey, Jet bassist Mark Wilson, drummer Peter Luscombe (Paul Kelly, Black Sorrows), keyboardist Ross Morgan and touring partner May - Garrett performs the majority of his critically acclaimed solo debut A Version Of Now. Unlike the classic pub-rock sound the Oils helped pioneer, Garrett's own material takes influences from a wide range of sources. Opener Kangaroo Tail has touches of surf-rock, the anthemic Tall Trees is similar to early The Clash and I'd Do It Again is straight out of the '70s-rock playbook.

A known activist, Garrett takes a few sly digs at Tony Abbott and Donald Trump, but keeps the political commentary to a minimum, more concerned with focusing on issues like saving our endangered species (Great White Shark) and instilling the gift of hope in people (It Still Matters). As well as playing his own songs, Garrett pays homage to some of his favourite Aussie acts with a smattering of covers, including The Divinyls' Back To The Wall, The Saints' Simple Love and a blistering rendition of Skyhooks' Ego Is Not A Dirty Word. The covers continue into the encore, with a strange-but-enjoyable take on En Vogue's Free Your Mind before Oils classics The Dead Heart and Don't Wanna Be The One bring the oldies out of their seats to dance in the aisles.

He might be getting on in years, but Garrett has lost none of his passion, with tonight's show emphasising his place as an Australian music icon. Simply brilliant.