Werribee Mansion is without a doubt one of if not the most spectacular setting for the Red Hot Summer Tour. The beautiful gardens and historic structure play the perfect background to today’s show. I make mention of this because of the nature of this run of Red Hot Summer shows. Every performer on the stage today is a storyteller and much like the soul of the heritage of the Werribee Mansion, there were stories to be told and to be discovered. The gardens aren’t too bad either…
Jess Hitchcock opened things today with a great little set that not only introduced many to her but also gave us all a great feel for what she is about as a writer and performer. Hitchcock’s set was a fantastic summary of her career to-date along with a couple of choice covers from Sheryl Crow and Blondie thrown in for added familiarity. The beaming sun beating upon us this is sure to make for an amazing day if the weather gods are looking after us. Rumour has it, things may get a little damp around 2pm, but for now there is very little indicating that. After all it is Melbourne and anything can happen.
Hitchcock seems big stage and performance seasoned already at her young age. Her voice is one that will remain with you, it’s beautifully haunting and she is the next generation of the storytellers. I must admit I wasn’t too familiar with Jess Hitchcock, but by the end of her forty-minute set I simply couldn’t wait to hear more from her.
Knowing that she would be performing with Paul Kelly later tonight added yet another thing to look forward to, seeing what she contributes to his set, which I am calling early as the highlight of the day. I tip the hat to the team at Face To Face Touring for taking on new talent, giving them the exposure and opportunity.
By now the weather gods have had a change of heart, the sky has clouded over and there are a couple of large angry grey clouds circling us, taunting us. Within moments of Kasey Chambers starting her set drops started to fall from the sky. Lightly at first but by the time she was into her second song “Pretty Enough” the skies decided to open and drench us all. A sea of ponchos rose from bags as those of us with them took some sort of shelter in them, others decided to keep dancing in the rain and celebrating what became a highlight of today.
If I am completely honest, I have never been a fan of Kasey Chambers. I never got it or her and that’s a bad on my behalf because what I found during her set was that I became engaged in her, her songs, her story, her banter and her musicianship. Her courage and determination to deliver an absolute cracker of a set did not go unnoticed as she too got soaked as the wind blew the rain toward the stage.
I made mention of Chambers and her banter with the crowd and the one thing that stood out was her recollection of getting the call to become a part of this tour line up. The sheer excitement in her voice was genuine and infectious. Chambers telling us that she would have done it for free as it was a dream for her to tour the country and watch some of her favourite artists and Paul Kelly every night.
With songs like ‘Hey’, her brilliant cover of Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’ and the song that started it all for her ‘The Captain’ how could you really go wrong. Addressing the rain Chambers says, “I had picked out two dresses to wear and I’m glad I picked the black one over the white one, otherwise you all might have seen a little Fanny Lumsden.”
Chambers’ brand of country/folk songs personify what storytelling really is. I found something in her music and words that sits differently than it had. Kasey Chambers is now one of those artists I think I owe it to myself to go and check out again. Live she was incredible and her band were simply fantastic. There is a magic in her chemistry, and her set is one I would stand in the rain again to watch.
Just as it had started from nowhere the rain stopped just as unexpectedly. The heat was back; the clouds had their fun all the while the Red Hot Summer team gave us rain themed songs as the stage was dried and prepared for one of my favourite feel good, good time bands ‘The Cat Empire’.
I haven’t seen The Cat Empire since the “Stolen Diamonds” tour of 2019. What a show that was and it will go down as one of my favourite outdoor shows purely based on the good vibes and energy we all caught. While The Cat Empire from 2019 looks a little different today as there have been a few line-up changes since their Covid enforced hiatus. Founding members Felix Riebl (Vocals, Guitars, Percussion) and Ollie McGill (Keys, piano) are still leading and charging this band, who are so full of life. This band and performance from the band is simply sublime. The infusion of latin, jazz, funk, ska and reggae always gets people dancing. This was no exception today. The main area infant of the stage turned into a dance pit. People waving, smiling, dancing and just getting down is so much fun and I must admit they had me moving too.
Riebl is his usual charming self, commanding a crowd in the way only he does. The addition of bassist and vocalist Grace Barbe is great. Barbe brings this cool with her and locks into grooves with drummer Daniel Farrugia creating the rhythm that makes you want to move. Possibly the biggest and brightest personality on the stage today was percussionist Neda Rahmani, her smile alone could have lit up Werribee park in the dark on its own. Her outfit as vibrant as the music itself. Rahmani when not playing her percussive parts simply made the stage her dance floor. She was a whirlwind of energy; you simply could not help but smile when you caught some of that energy.
The brass trio were sensational as always and just lift this band so high. From the opening track “How To Explain?” To “Two Shoes” and “Blood On The Stage” this was a lesson in fun. The bands signature song “Hello” gaining the biggest response of their set. Fifty minutes passed in what seemed like five and as they say time flies when you are having fun.
For some reason it’s been thirty-one years since I last saw The Cruel Sea live. They have been a bucket list band to catch again, but the stars just hadn’t aligned themselves to make us cross paths again. I saw them at least once a year from 1990 to 1995 and every show was incredible, why I stopped going, I have no idea. Obviously, the bands limited appearances from 2001-2023 had a bit to do with that as did living in Tasmania.
Today another little tick came off the list as I got to witness Perkins, Gormly, Elliott and Rumour once again do their thing as The Cruel Sea. After such a long time would they still stand up against the memories of over half a lifetime ago; I wasn’t sure. The deep blues ambience of “Orleans Stomp” had me mesmerised, its plod and stomp taking me back to their 1994 masterpiece. In half a mind to close my eyes and let the music wash over me, the other half wanting to study the chemistry of the band feeding off each other. Guitarist Matt Walker complimenting Dan Rumour as if he had always been there. Just perfect.
The roar of the crowd as Tex Perkins took to the stage was immense and the big fella was just as I had remembered him all those years ago. Larger than life, cooler than cool and his voice just as I remembered it. His presence is massive to say the least. The eleven song, forty-minute set presented everything you could have wished for in a condensed set. Featuring an even split between their three monster albums from 91-95 the hits were there as well as giving us two songs from last years “Straight Into The Sun”. The setlist blended perfectly and it was just like being transported back to where it all began for me. As a storyteller Perkins is incredible, his vocal tone and delivery makes you listen and take in the tales being told. The band a perfect soundtrack to these tales.
The big hits in “Better Get A Lawyer”, “The Honeymoon Is Over” were the best received by the crowd who had finally managed to dry out a bit by now. Yet for me it was drenching myself in songs like “Orleans Stomp”, “4”, and “This Is Not The Way Home” that were the real moments for me, the ones that brought back my earliest memories of the band and their sound.
The introduction to “The Honeymoon Is Over” was tongue in cheek with Perkins referring to it as the bands “Bohemian Rhapsody”, the “You’re The Voice” of 1994, their “Accidentally Kelly St” of the week. Banter aside it really is one of the greatest Australian songs of all time and didn’t the crowd just lap it up.
Closing with “This Is Not The Way Home” just completed the circle as they had opened it, perfectly. In my opinion The Cruel Sea are worth the ticket price on their own. They have lost nothing at all. It certainly won’t be a thirty-one-year gap between seeing these guys again.
Missy Higgins is one of those interesting artists for me. Her voice is silk, her songs are infectious, retrospective and put her in the league of storyteller. As with all her peers today her set was an incredible overview of her career. Her songs are captures of a time, a place, a moment and a feeling. With each song you became connected to her personal journey. From missing someone to just wanting to escape the world with that special someone, the joy that being a parent brings all connect within.
Higgins and band are a very well-oiled machine, slick and make for a very easy listen. The hits were all here and as to be expected “Scar” got the biggest reaction. It was an incredible laid-back set that was yet another highlight in a stellar line up.
The intense sun during Higgins’ set had finally found a home behind the clouds. The breeze in the air was fresh, and conditions were perfect for tonight’s main event. Paul Kelly (that really should be Sir Paul Kelly if you ask me) is a national treasure, iconic, bold and a wordsmith songwriter that really does have the ability to transport you to a time or a place. In his seventy years on this earth Kelly has this incredibly unique way of telling his stories to lush musical soundscapes.
Kelly’s band are pure magic and the addition of Ashley Naylor on guitar is incredible. The rhythm section of Peter Luscombe (drums) and Bill McDonald (Bass) have this magic to them. Cameron Bruce (Keys) and Kelly’s nephew Dan Kelly (Guitar) add some youthfulness to the band, it’s the combination of all things that make this band work so well. Tonight’s secret weapon was Jess Hitchcock who simply lifted and elevated the performance to another level. Whether she was providing silky harmonies, belting out a Midnight Oil cover or duetting with Kelly she simply added something very special to the delivery of this catalogue of songs.
Having missed out on the shows that supported Kelly’s “Seventy” record this for me was a real treat. Top to bottom, the set was flawless and the song selection was perfect. “Houndstooth Dress” provided a brooding opening to the set with Kelly sat behind his keyboards. Such a mesmerising performance. When you watch Kelly play you see something much deeper than a performer on stage. You almost feel like you are looking into his soul. His eyes the doorway there and his smile the welcome. Then you hear the stories and feel the words. It’s hard to describe actually, but when you see him perform it will all make perfect sense.
In a set that included all of those iconic Paul Kelly radio hits, the songs that still rule commercial radio we got “Rita Wrote A Letter” and “Happy Birthday Ada Mae” from Seventy. Kelly certainly did his best to cover as much career and catalogue ground as he could. Each song was a magical wonderland of storytelling and Paul Kelly is the master of his craft.
Even though halfway through the set the skies opened again Kelly worked his way through the set. The rain, it was a minor setback. Some choosing to leave as the sky above rumbled, the rest simply didn’t seem to care as this was one heck of a performance. Possibly one of the best closing sets I have ever witnessed at a Red Hot Summer. Charismatic, charming, golden storytelling at its finest. From the smile on Kelly’s face you could tell he had an amazing time too.
This run of Red Hot Summer shows is not to be missed. Every artist on the line up delivered incredible performances. Despite Mother Nature being little temperamental and unpredictable it was a brilliant day out. The team at Face To Face need to be commended for putting together such a solid line up and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
With special thanks to Leanne Menard & Face to Face Touring for the media access.
Photos by Shot by Slaidins