Produced and
directed by David M. Hawkins
Canberra
Theatre Centre Playhouse July 11th. Reviewed by BILL STEPHENS
The Canberra
Theatre Centre Playhouse was packed to the proverbial rafters for Macy Gray’s
return to Canberra as part of a nine city national tour to celebrate the 25th
Anniversary of the release of her debut album “On How Life Is”.
On How Life
Is was Macy Gray’s break-out album and has sold over seven million copies
worldwide. The single from the album I Try became an international success and
won Gray a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2001.
It seemed
most of those in the audience obviously had their own copy of “On How Life Is”,
because, attracted by the promise that Macy Gray would sing every song from the album, seemed
to know every lyric of every song, whenever invited to sing along, which was
often.
Produced and
directed by David M. Hawkins, the concert had a rock-concert vibe with banks of
roving spotlights projecting out into the auditorium, and a large video screen
at the back of the stage constantly changing patterns.
Macy Gray
made her entrance in a dazzling blue ensemble, and after briefly acknowledging
the enthusiastic welcome from the audience, launched into a rocking R&B
rendition of Why Didn’t You Call Me, backed by her red-hot band which consisted of
Justin Clemons on Keyboards, Alex Kyhn on bass, Joshua Conerly on Percussion
and Steven Stewart on Drums.
Do Something, she sang, then Caligula, followed by Sex-o-matic,
Murder, Still and Moment to Myself.
They were all there, connected by exhortations from Ms Gray encouraging her
audience to clap along and let her hear them sing, reminding them, cheekily,
that she had “come all the way from Los Angeles, USA, to sing to them”.
Can’t Wait To Meechu, When I See You, and an arresting Soul rendition of Sunny, followed.
The generous
program continued, interrupted only by a dazzling drum solo from Steven Stewart
which provided an opportunity for a quick change into another striking gown by
Ms Gray before continuing with a succession of hits from her other albums which
over the years have sold over 25 million copies and earned Macy Gray no fewer
than five GRAMMY nominations.
Towards the
end of the show Gray introduced a new song she’s still working on, an earwig
audience participation song entitled, Everything’s
Gonna Be Alright, which she promised the Canberra audience it was the first
to hear, before quipping “after every other audience on this tour”.
So hard to pick a favourite from this generous
program. Definitely Creep, but then
perhaps You Are Relating To A Psychopath,
Sexual Revolution, I Try. Perhaps for the moment I’ll settle on The Letter, a poignant song with which she
finished her memorable show.
This first published in the digital edition of CITY NEWS on 12th July 2024.
