Josh Pyke @ The Grace Emily, 6th August ’15
It was about the fans first and foremost as Josh Pyke plays a special intimate gig at The Grace Emily Hotel to celebrate the release of his new album But For All These Shrinking Hearts.
It was an early start: bang on eight o’clock with most already securing spots at the front to be right up and personal with the great man. In short, brilliant! Josh Pyke is well and truly on top of his game playing a stellar set of newies, hits and memories charming the pants off everyone. Hard to believe that this venue is where his career literally was kick started and still is important to him now some ten years later playing a fans first show.
Memories & Dust got things started followed by a quite hello Adelaide and acknowledgement of his new fans who have got on board since the tri-state tour way back in the beginning. New single There’s A Line is right up there with Pyke’s best and if this one doesn’t chart there is something sadly wrong with the ARIA chart. Pyke was full of admiration of his fans and he hoped that Adam Lambert didn’t pip him at the post for number one album even suggesting to fans to buy another copy to push the sales to number one. As Pyke remarked “laughing is acceptance of the business model”. The Lighthouse Song was great and even better was watching the crowd singing along word for word. The crowd harmony was just as good on The Summer.
Pyke seemed to know which songs to pull out with Leeward Side going down well followed by crowd favourite Lines On Palms. The interaction with the crowd was priceless and something that you don’t always get seeing a show with the full band. Pyke talked about songs and images that appear in his mind when he sings them saying that he knows exactly what point in time in his life they relate to just like the vacant block where all the stuff would happen in Middle Of The Hill. New song Momentary Glow was great followed by Pyke saying he can’t write lyrics on demand and he borrowed Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy song writing technique starting with gibberish until the song takes shape. At this point fans were yelling out for requests and luckily Say My Name was on the set list.
Pyke spoke fondly of his fans again saying how fortunate he is to be in this position and the whole idea of the fans first shows is hardly a revelation but should patent the idea. White Lines Dancing was Pyke’s favourite from the last album got an airing. New track Hollering Hearts will be a future set list staple as will Song Lines. There is an amazing story to this one also starting as gibberish but a poignant one to remember his family as well indigenous references in this one. The set wouldn’t be complete without the song that started it with Middle Of The Hill. Doing What You’re Told wrapped things up and when you’re this good you don’t need an encore.
Whether it is rummaging through vinyl at record stores such as Clarity and Title finding hidden gems to scouring the internet to find that album by the next big thing or chasing bands to get that elusive autograph and photo his passion is music all the way.
- Aversions Crown - January 27, 2017
- Sick Of It All - January 19, 2017
- Refused - January 11, 2017
