An extraordinary night of extraordinary new compositions and some reimagined covers
Presented by: Adelaide Guitar Festival
Reviewed: 15 September, 2024
The Adelaide Guitar Festival is known for giving a platform to artists to explore and expand their own musical soundscape. On Sunday night Dusty Lee Stephensen presented a brand new foray into his performance career that left the responsive full house at the Dunstan Playhouse wanting more.
Dusty has forged a successful career in the performing arts industry, most notably with the Wanderers and as part of the Fringe favourite 27 Club. Dressed in a sharp red suit, Dusty welcomed the crowd simply with, “Hi everyone, my name is Dustyn”. This was a wonderful way to highlight to the audience that for those of us who know the music of Dusty Lee Stephensen, we were in for something completely different.
This was an extraordinary night of extraordinary new compositions and some reimagined covers. His new music is soulful and heartwarming — the perfect music to listen to on a Sunday evening after a busy weekend. Dustyn’s voice is exceptional. From a warm mellow lower register to his soaring top end, his voice could melt butter. Dustyn’s songwriting is just as good as his voice. The harmonic structure of each piece took the audience on a wonderful journey full of great shifts and some unexpected directions.
Dustyn, who played a variety of guitars, was joined by an incredible band. His rhythm section (bass, acoustic/electric/pedal steel guitars and kit) was tight and provided a wonderful foundation. They were also joined by a stunning string quartet and three brilliant backing vocalists. The final member of the band was Dustyn’s good friend, Ross Irwin (of Cat Empire) who switched between piano/keys and trumpet. Irwin also worked with Dustyn on the string quartet arrangements. The addition of the string quartet took the music to the next level, providing this rich, golden-age film soundscape. The vocal arrangements, by Jessica Biggs, were also sensational. The tight harmonies provided another level to Dustyn’s incredible music.
Fans of Dusty Lee Stephensen should keep an eye out for the upcoming release of the new album. With Dustyn, it showcases the versatility of this fine musician and is another example of what fine artists we have residing here in Adelaide who are doing great things in the music industry. Get behind this project — I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Reviewed by Ben Stefanoff
Photo credit: Michelle Grace Hunder
Venue: Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: ended
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