Presented by Markus Hamence
Reviewed 23 July 2022
When it comes to Australian music royalty, it doesn’t really get any bigger than Renee Geyer. With a career that has so far spanned over four decades and with twenty five albums under her belt, Renee Geyer is a pioneer in the Australian music industry, especially in the genres of soul, R&B and jazz.
Thanks to local promoter, Markus Hamence, Renee Geyer graced The Regal Theatre stage on Saturday July 23 to a full house of her most loyal South Australian fans.
Support act, local musician Mason Lloyde, opened the evening with an acoustic forty-minute set. Performing seven of his own pieces, Mason showcased his incredible voice and brilliant compositional skills to a captivated audience. Having recently fallen victim to COVID, Mason was uncertain he was going to be able to perform, and while he expressed some concern to the audience about this being his first gig since being ill, through the majority of his set it was impossible to tell that it had affected his voice. Mason Lloyde is certainly an artist you need to look up. His delivery of each piece packed a great emotional punch. There is something special about seeing an artist perform their own works. Mason’s stunning tenor voice (which at times reminded me of John Mayer or James Blunt) combined with his acoustic guitar wove magic through each piece. He is a true story teller through his music.
When Renee Geyer took to the stage, the buzz in the room was electrifying. A full house of her loyal South Australian supporters lapped up every minute of her performance. Renee weaved through the “best of” her huge catalogue of songs from her career, reminding the audience why she was the groundbreaking artist of her time. The banter with the audience between songs was minimal, but it was very evident through her music how much Renee still loves performing.
Renee’s band, Charlie Owen (Guitar), Yuri Pavlinov (Bass), Tony Floyd (Drums), and Mart Saarelaht (Keys) were brilliant. They worked hard throughout the entire performance, staying on top of the changes Renee would throw at them. Hearing a band like this work together really adds to a live performance. They were tight and in sync and displayed exceptional musicianship.
Seeing Renee Geyer, an artist close to her seventies, perform live was one of those moments that I won’t be forgetting in a hurry. She is such an influential icon of the Australian music industry, and being able to see her still performing isn’t something that you get to witness every day.
Reviewed by: Ben Stefanoff
Twitter: @theartsislife
Season Ended
Rating out of 5: 5
#Adelaide #livetheatreadelaide #supportthearts
More News
