As the sun dips beneath the dusty industrial buildings opposite, two undercurrents of energy hum through the doors of this well-established Gold Coast entertainment playground.

One belongs to the regular Sunday sesh lovers who canter through the colourful Miami Marketta doors for an (arguably) cheap street feed and some local live music; the other belongs to those who peel off to the side towards the sealed-off main stage within, with a quiet but palpable excitement for what lies ahead this evening.

We’re at the mid-point of Sarah Blasko’s national tour for her latest album I Just Need To Conquer This Mountain. The Sydney artist, with two decades of hypnotising performances under her belt – and even a celebrated documentary – that left imprints of her fragility and ferocity on listeners and the industry has tread an unwavering path through her inimitable style of alternative pop.

With now seven albums to her name and an impressive string of visually and emotionally arresting performances at some of the country’s most iconic venues in the memory bank, Blasko’s place in the halls of Australian music is resolute. It’s why there’s almost a sense of calm and knowing expectation in the swelling room; people know what they’re in for tonight.

Brisbane’s Bud Rokesky offers an opening nod to that calibre when he steps into the spotlight. His modest set-up and warm rapport with the crowd imbue the same effortless charm as the headliner, and his magnetising energy works its magic instantly.

Possessing a rich but deep vocal and warm, intimate guitar chops, he weaves through highlights from his first album and fleshes out his lyrical storytelling with tales from his day-to-day life as a truckie and growing up in regional Queensland. It’s a mix of his confident, wry humour, alt-country croon and deft performing that makes one forget that Rokesky is only just starting out in his musical career. He certainly is one to watch.

In speaking with Blasko on the cusp of her 2018 album Depth Of Field, it was obvious that despite being a “shy person by nature”, the wrought, tender subject matter she tackles across her releases was what opened the doors to her fables of pain, joy and everything in between that resonated so well with listeners. Despite the risk that Blasko, sitting on the throne at the height of the twee indie pop era – thanks to a groundswell of love for 2009’s As Day Follows Night – might find herself discarded along with other contemporaries during that whimsical period, this ever-evolving but forever idiosyncratic artist has always created in her own instinctual ways.

This run of shows is no different; it’s a bold move to play a new album – especially one that is not even six months old – from start to finish. It’s an approach usually adopted for first or formative albums lurking well in the back catalogue. But this is the kind of Blasko era we have entered; I Just Need To Conquer This Mountain is a gorgeous release brimming with vocal technicalities and an outpouring of Blasko’s grief, desperation and celebration.

After giving so much of yourself to something that can be so flippantly selective, like skips on a streaming service, why would you not take the opportunity to share it all when given the chance to?

That’s not to say that sitting (indeed, it is a very grown-up, sit-down affair tonight, complete with flickering tea candles) through the entirety of Blasko’s latest is not an absolute delight. Her four-piece band have been with her for many years and support her deftly as always. But the structural paring back on this album really lets that fragile but fierce voice shine in the live setting, and allows us to hear just how technically proficient it really is. 

Kitted out in a stark white jumpsuit, Blasko’s entrance is modest but effusive as her band launches into opener The Way, which harks back to her church-going days and is underlined by striking piano chords. She is mesmerising to watch, with her angular movements then gentle sways as though lost in her own music.

Rokesky jumps back on stage for the dual-vocal in Goodbye!, and while it’s not a part he originally sings on the album, no one would question how utterly perfect it is for him tonight. Blasko acknowledges “all those highly emotional people out there” after Emotion’s lofty vocals leave her a tad breathless. Despite this being an album that does reach high and low vocally and lyrically, not a note is out of place when she and the band close the album’s live treatment with Divine.

After a quick exit to swap the white jumpsuit for a black version, Blasko and her players return and dive back into much-loved gems dotted throughout her two decades’ worth of releases. Amazing Things, We Won’t Run, I Wanna Be Your Man, Never Let Me Go and that almost upstaging version of Cold Chisel’s Flame Trees gives long-serving fans plenty of moments to breathe in, smile and savour.

Painful goodbyes, the quiet calm of acceptance and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with recognising your past, questioning your present and being open to the future resonated through every note played to celebrate I Just Need To Conquer This Mountain. Blasko’s offbeat but commanding presence allows her to effortlessly create an atmosphere where the audience is invited into her world of vulnerability and reflection and see something of themselves in it, too.

Tonight has been a unique celebration of one of Australia’s finest songwriters. Blasko’s ability to take her audience on a deeply personal journey through grief, loss, and hope is something special. As she continues to explore new sonic territories and push her creative boundaries, her live performances remain as intimate and powerful as ever.

It’s a testament to her artistry, resilience, and an unfaltering connection to her audience. She will forever command her own spotlight, however demurely and endearingly in her own self-effacing way.