An evening with John Butler
State Theatre
Sydney, Australia
May 20, 2021
Looks like we are back in business as far as live events are concerned on terra australis as after a few trial and errors in the realm of live shows, John Butler ‘s solo incarnation was welcomed by a sold out State Theatre at the Sydney stop of his national tour.
With the State Theatre’s splendour as far as the architectural and spatial progression from gothic imagery to baroque is concerned, the venue added another dimension to John sharing his stories and tapping into his vast back catalogue of seven albums released over a time span of close to twenty-five years.
In an intimate setting, Butler opened up from the get go and punctuated his rolling folk introspections by touching on his battles with anxiety, having found his true north as well as his political activism.
The set was a well-curated selection of the quintessential John Butler melodies accentuated by both simple and complex rhythms and intricate twist and turns, while serenading the enthusiastic audience with his trademark melodies and dreamy visions, musically painting his emotional landscapes and allowing everyone to tune in and ride along.
Needless to say, John Butler’s abilities as a multi-instrumentalist enhanced the performance as the seamlessly transitioned from regular via custom made guitars to harmonica, digeridoo and distortions to achieve his unique sound.
A mesmerizing evening that despite lyrical content often being pervaded by a sense of angst, loss and regrets, resonated with the audience in a chilled, personal and empowering way.
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photos by @k.a.vv
