ARIA Corridor of Famer Russell Morris flew in to WA on the weekend, bringing with him his again catalogue of hits in addition to a full 10-piece electrical band and a 54-piece orchestra, to depart the Perth viewers shocked and spellbound from the preliminary overture till he departed the stage to a standing ovation.
With the double album ‘The Real Thing Symphonic Live performance’ nonetheless using excessive within the Australian charts, tonight was an opportunity to expertise first-hand the present that has wowed audiences at Sydney’s iconic Opera Home, in addition to at Melbourne’s Hamer Corridor. And with a lot dwell music taking place in Perth on the identical evening (Steve Vai, Purple Sizzling Summer season & RnB Fridayz) it’s a testomony to Morris’s musical legacy that he nonetheless attracted a sell-out crowd to Crown Theatre, to distribute an unlimited array of his hits from the 60’s proper as much as the current day, all of that are expertly organized by Academy nominee and BAFTA winner David Hirschfelder.
Listening to the album offers you a way of the grandeur and spectacle of the orchestral preparations however seeing and listening to it first hand, in addition to being in the identical room, simply propels the unbelievable imaginative and prescient and laborious work that has gone into this unbelievable manufacturing. In Russell Morris, Australia have somebody who I genuinely rank as one of many nation’s most fixed performers – he’s eternally youthful, eternally reinventing himself… as he mentioned to me in a current interview we had collectively, “I’m a kind of folks in that I take a look at music as a smorgasbord. And if I stroll in and there’s a desk laid with all these completely different kinds and hues, I’m not gonna stroll all the way down to the top of the desk each time and simply have chops, peas and potatoes. I’ll take a look at the opposite finish and go oh, oh that’s center jap meals and I’d prefer to strive that.”
Tonight, we have been teleported again to the place all of it started with Russell’s greatest hit ‘The Real Thing’ however not earlier than being handled to songs from his 1972 EP ‘Mr America’, albums ‘Foot within the Door’, ‘Bloodstone’, ‘A Thousand Suns’, ‘Jumpstart Diary’ and tracks from two of his fantastic blues trilogy albums of ‘Sharkmouth’ and ‘Van Diemen’s Land’. We even had the particular pleasure of being launched to Johnny Younger who was acknowledged by Morris, and inspired to face to take applause throughout the present.
However one of many stand-out performances of the evening was saved for backing vocalist (and Fabulous Caprettos bassist) Jason Vorherr. Vorherr took centre stage and lead vocals for ‘I Will Wait For You’ and completely nailed it – unbelievable vocals! Pete Robinson’s guitar work all through the evening was exemplary, as have been the harmonies delivered by vocalists Vorherr, John Creech, Michell Serret-Cursio and Jacinta Caruana.
Because the present closed-in on the finale, we simply knew what was coming; among the songs which have locked themselves in to Australian musical historical past. When the ultimate 4 songs of the night comprise, and in no explicit order, of ‘Candy Candy Love’, ‘The Real Thing’, ‘Hush’ and ‘Wings of an Eagle’ then you definitely simply know you might have been blessed to have witnessed one thing particular… and possibly one thing I’ll by no means get to see once more!
Particular mentions go to conductor Peter Morris (no relation we’re advised) and the fantastic Southern Cross orchestra, in addition to the dwell band comprising of Gerry Pantazis (drums), Troy Downward (guitar), Craig Newman (bass) and Nik Pringadi and Richard Tankard (keyboards).
Adelaide, you’re up subsequent! Get pleasure from on of the exhibits of 2023!
With because of Starr Special Events for the media entry and hospitality.
Russell Morris – The Real Thing Orchestrated Live performance
Adelaide – Competition Theatre – Friday seventeenth November
Sydney – Sydney Opera Home Live performance Corridor – Wednesday twenty second November
Brisbane – Conference & Exhibition Centre – Saturday ninth December
https://russellmorris.com.au
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