Taking a quick detour from his support slot on Kimbra’s tour, Daniel Merriweather graced the Phoenix Public House on their final run of shows. The soul crooner reacquainted himself with a small yet intimate audience who he had impressed with his debut album, Love and War, back in 2009.
As a three-piece, Merriweather’s set was more about the future and less about the past, with a new EP on the way. The Melbournian, now based in New York was supported by local electronic outfit, City Calm Down. They were a surprising choice for a support act, but the band were no slouches by any means.
The crowd were attentive, although it seemed as though they spent much of the quartet’s set grappling with the notion of seeing a band powered by synthesisers open for a laid-back soul singer. The band did little wrong in trying to entertain their audience, with a solid set of heavy synth infecting the band room accompanied by Jack Bourke’s deep and affecting vocals.
The crowd, average age of thirty and onwards, might not have given in to their new wave electronica, but with the right setting City Calm Down have the ability, along with an absorbing collection of songs to truly entertain their audience.
It was interesting to see Merriweather play a venue as intimate as the Phoenix Public House. It was only a few years ago that Love and War reached number two in the UK charts and saw him go on to win Best Male at the Aria’s. Yet here he was and the packed band-room were in for a treat. Not only do his vocals sound as incredible as ever, but his willingness to play a set with plenty of new songs that deal with “heavy shit” only enhanced the feeling of ‘up close and personal’.
Merriweather’s endearing tribute to the friends he had lost in the past year, most notably including Amy Winehouse, was just another reason amongst many to look forward to new material from the thirty year-old singer. New songs, ‘Vodka’ and ‘Love’ received strong responses, although a shout out to the local Belgrave train line and some humorous banter in-between the new songs ensured that the crowd weren’t getting itchy feet for the hits.
“Just to mix things up, how about a poem?” It’s not something that you’d expect to happen at a gig but when Merriweather introduced Omar Musa to the stage, his reading became a thought-provoking political interim, some punters even cheering when the words ‘guillotine’ and ‘Gillard’ were shot out close together.
Entitled ‘My Generation’, Musa’s poem cleverly spun words about his disappointment with the politics and youth of today. Some may have recognised him from his performance on ABC’s ‘Q&A’, but many were unfamiliar with his talents. The crowd stood there in awe, whether you agree with his sentiments or not, you can’t deny the passion in his voice as he spreads his message.With that slight plot deviation out of the way Merriweather indulged the crowd with older songs, much to their delight.
Evidently his debut album is still a household favourite for many with songs like ‘Change’, ‘Chainsaw’ and ‘Cigarettes’ garnering passionate sing-a-longs. Merriweather didn’t shy away from playing covers either. Mark Ronson’s reimagining of The Smiths’ ‘Stop Me’ was an early favourite from the set list, but the surprising inclusion of Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Closer’ before the encore was a welcome highlight. As Merriweather sang “fuck me like an animal,” it wouldn’t be too hard to believe that some members of the Kimbra audience during his support slot might have found that confronting. But for his solo show, the crowd were enamoured any time Merriweather displayed the full potential of his voice. Nothing excited the crowd more than when he finished the encore with a stunning rendition of his signature ballad ‘Red’.
If Love and War proved that Daniel Merriweather is one of the country’s biggest international exports, then his solo show reminded of just how talented the man is. So Dan, how about that EP? And another album while you’re at it too would be pretty swell, thanks.
-Corey Tonkin
