Whilst Melbourne was being hammered by intense thunder and lightning on Friday night, fans inside The Palace Theatre were being treated to their own sound and light show, courtesy of the inimitable Matt Corby
With lines forming outside the iconic CBD venue long before the doors opened, it was clear there were quite a few fans who wanted to get front and centre for the show.
Opening for Corby was Perth stunner, Grace Woodroofe. Walking onto the stage in a girly sundress and ballet flats, one would expect yet another demure, feminine sounding songstress. Instead, Woodroofe rocked the venue with her deep, dark vocals, heavy electric guitar and thick bass lines.
Performing tracks from her debut album Always Want, it’s not surprising to hear that most of the songs were written “in her bedroom, in the dark” with her eyes closed.
Woodroofe, who was famously discovered by the late Heath Ledger and whose album was produced by Ben Harper, has certainly made her mark.
With a voice made for melancholy and a husky, brooding alto that reverberates through the venue, Woodroofe’s mostly autobiographical songs are performed with an earnest intensity.
The songs are delivered in a much heavier and more aggressive style compared to their recordings, perhaps an indication of how the 20-year-old’s music has evolved since being written several years ago.
The sounds were slightly muddled in this loud venue; and the reverberating guitar and drawn out vocals made it difficult to understand Woodroofe’s heartfelt lyrics. Still, there were moments of magic when, amid the head banging and thrashing around on stage, the young singer-songwriter allowed the volume to soften and the harmonies to appear.
This sound set the tone for what was to happen next.
Enter Matt Corby – the soulful, passionate and ridiculously talented musician who has filled the venue to capacity. Captivating the audience from the first notes on his keyboard, Corby is the type of artist who can make your whole body tingle. With a voice that forces the audience to stare in silence and a delicate touch that ensures every song is as heartfelt as the last, the effect is mesmerising.
Opening with the unreleased “Water And Wine” and moving to the mournful “It’s Good To Be Alone”, the 22-year-old tugs at the heartstrings like no other.
Traversing effortlessly between a stunning falsetto and a deep, dark baritone, Corby’s vocal prowess is jaw-droppingly impressive.
After a few songs, the Sydney-sider addressed the crowd. “So, here we all are”, he says shyly as he smiles out at the adoring fans. There’s not a lot of banter from the gravelly voiced crooner, but the music speaks for itself.
A beautiful light show began in the background as Corby launched into his latest offering, “Resolution”. A fantastic slow burner, the song starts delicately and builds to powerful climax, which sees Corby’s vocals soar and the audience’s knees weaken. If this is a sign of what’s to come, then there is sure to be nothing but glowing reports for the soulful, bluesy, melodic folk artist.
Looking dapper as ever in his black suit, whistles from the crowd ensue as Corby strips back to a plain black t-shirt. The scruffy haired, blue-eyed beauty continued modestly with hits such as “Souls A’Fire” and new material including “Trick Of The Light”.
The crowd, which had become increasingly noisy with enthusiasm, eventually hushed until the whole room was quiet again during the heartbreaking “Into The Flame”. Corby’s quiet whispering, high-pitched cries and echoing melodies brought the crowd to a standstill.
The softly spoken singer again captivates with his popular cover of The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy”. Exhibiting an amazing dramatic quality, the cover, performed solo with just an acoustic guitar, showcased not only unique creativity but unbelievable control of pitch and breath.
In an uncharacteristic display, Corby takes the chance to erupt in a chorus of expletives when he thanks his support act, Grace Woodroofe. After mentions of how “fucking amazing” she is, he tones things back down for his chart topper, “Brother”.
The unmistakable opening howls were met with a rapturous applause, and every phone in the venue came out to film the hit that put Corby leagues above his other Australian Idol alumnae.
Disappearing briefly and returning with an acoustic guitar, Corby performed the duet “Big Eyes” with keyboard player and singer Bree Tranter.
Concluding with the toe tapping, Celtic-influenced “My False”, Corby performs with infectious enthusiasm. The song comes to a complete stop, the stage falls into darkness, and then ‘bang!’, he continues with the final refrain.
It’s a cheery, high-energy conclusion to a flawless show.
