Music at it’s best elicits emotion, and there’s nothing in the world like a good live gig. Tonight Fremantle was treated to a masterclass full of joy, love and golden grooves on the first night of Roachford’s long anticipated and all but sold out Australian Tour. As first nights go this is all you could want, a sold out crowd, a great opening act and a room full of anticipation. It’s a mystery to all of us, including Andrew himself, why it’s taken so long to return to these shores; but the 21 years between visits are soon swept away as the band takes to the stage and launch into ‘The Doctor’. From that moment the audience in Fremantle are in the palm of their hands.
Arguably the U.K.’s finest Soul artist tonight there are ten albums worth of songs to choose from, all the classics and hits, new material to amaze, and some choice covers. It’s all incredibly loose and informal yet musically tight as you like. Sat front and centre on his keys, or walking the stage there’s a larger than life presence about Andrew Roachford and a genuine and immediate rapport with the room.
And then there are the songs! Man what a repertoire these guys have built over the years! Not only that though it’s wonderful how we not only get the songs that made Rochford a household name but also some choice covers. So after the energy and passion of ‘High on Love’, ‘The Way I Feel’ and ‘Love Remedy’ we get an absolutely stunning take on Nill Withers’ 1971 standard ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’.
It’s heartening to see too a crowd that predominantly loves to dance and sing rather than just hold the phone up high pointed at the stage. And if you wanted singing and crowd interaction, on this tour Fremantle (or Perth as Andrew repeatedly namechecks us) will take some beating. Not only is the room loud but we’re in tune too! And given the chance to sing the room lights up!
‘All the Love’ and ‘Ride the Storm’ just take you back to that wonderful place before a nod to one of the current day Australian greats – the Teskey Brothers comes in the form of a very soulful and heartfelt ‘Carry You’. Roachford’s voice is just incredible throughout whether he’s channelling James Brown or Al Green or Joe Cocker it’s so rich I’d wager it’s even better than back in the day.
Before the main set ends there’s introductions to the band, which includes the very hard-working (and Australia’s own) Jackie Barnes on drums, the most excellent tone of guitarist Chris Moorehead who is mesmerizing tonight, and it’s all sat atop the perfect groove of bassist (please let us know!). We close with an emotional ‘Lay Your Love On Me’ and a wonderful take on ‘This Generation’ two of the bands finest songs which almost literally raise the roof, but there’s more…
The encore is astounding – initially with ‘Cry For Me’ and a cover of ‘Free Falling’ the Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne classic. Then it’s just Andrew and his voice and keys taking us on a journey through some classics with snatches of Motown and Soul thrown into the mix (I won’t spoil it for you by naming them, but you’ll love it!). It’s a nice time to reflect on Andrew’s wonderful keys and just take in that voice again.
For the last ten years Roachford has also been the voice in the new version of Mike And The Mechanics and we are treated to a sublime take on their song ‘Over My Shoulder’ which creeps into the medley. We’re now at the point in the evening where everyone knows what comes next. On a night that has raised some huge roars there’s nothing like the reaction to the next two…
The 1989 smash hit ‘Cuddly Toy’ sounds even more uplifting in Australia in 2025 than it ever did. It gets everyone moving, and came with a hugely uplifting extended musical break that just sought to extend the joy! Everyone in the room is transported to another time and place. Now imagine that times ten… We say goodbye with a rapturous version of ‘Only To Be With You’. A song that live has so much power and emotion it should be prescribed medicine to cure all ills. If you weren’t here in Fremantle tonight you missed an absolute revelation.
Unmissable entertainment from start to finish if you’re in Adelaide (the only City this tour hasn’t completely sold out) treat yourself to a ticket. I guarantee you will not only not regret it.
