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| Tim Campbell & Anthony Gallea |
Devised and performed by Anthony Callea and Tim Campbell
Lighting by Cam McKaige – Sound by Paul Bailey
Backing vocalists: Susie Ahern, Rocky Leprevite
Musicians: Sax: Tim Wilson – Drums: Carlo Parisi – Keys:
Robbie Amato
Bass: Kim May – Guita:
Cory Jach.
Canberra Theatre: March 29. 2025 – Reviewed by BILL STEPHENS
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| Susie Ahern - Anthony Callea - Tim Campbell - John Foreman performing "Songs of Elton and John" in Hamer Hall, Melbourne - Photo: Sam Tabone. |
An enthusiastic Canberra audience sustained their
extraordinary record of sold-out performances by Anthony Callea and Tim
Campbell with their show “The Songs of Elton and George”.
After playing three sold out performance in the Hamer Hall
in Melbourne and two in the Sydney Opera House in 2024, with John Foreman and
the Australian Pops Orchestra, Callea and his husband, Tim Campbell decided to embark
on a 32-date tour of major venues across Australia running from February to
June this year; most of which are already sold out even though touring with a much smaller band than for their Hamer Hall and Sydney Opera house concerts..
Callea and Campbell are no strangers to sold out shows having
already performed 27 of them across the country in 2023 with their “Up Close
and Unpredictable” tour.
So, what’s the secret of their success?
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| Anthea Callea performing "Songs of Elton and George" in the Sydney Opera House Photo - David Hooley |
Well to begin with, both are power-house singers. Callea is
an Aria Award winning artist, who first came to fame as the runner-up in the
2004 edition of Australian Idol. His debut single, The Carol Bayer Sager/David
Foster/Tony Renis/Alberto Testa song The Prayer became the second
highest selling Australian single of the 2000’s.
Over the last twenty years Callea has honed his skills to forge
a multi-award winning career performing in concerts, musicals and special events
for the likes of Queen Elizabeth 11 and Luciano Pavarotti. Artists with whom he
has toured include Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross.
Tim Campbell’s career is no less illustrious, ranging from
starring roles in television series including Home & Away and House
Husbands, hosting national prime time shows, among them Celebrity
Singing Bee and Wheel of Fortune and starring in major stage
musicals, Wicked, Rent and Shout!
These national tours allow them to combine their complimentary
talents with excellent production values and disciplined direction to present crowd-pleasing
performances which showcase their impressive individual performance skills.
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| Anthony Callea & Tim Campbell performing "Songs of Elton & George" in the Sydney Opera House Photo: David Hooley |
Callea and Campbell also have another ace up their sleeve in that their seventeen-year relationship has mellowed into an easy-going onstage partnership that allows both to make each other the butt of their good-natured humour.
In the case of Callea, this comes as something of a surprise,
as he gets little opportunity to reveal this side of his personality on his
television guest appearances which tend to focus on his artistry as a vocalist.
In trawling through the repertoire of Elton John and George
Michael, which is the focus of “The Songs of Elton and George,” both artists
have mined a fertile selection of excellent contemporary songs to create this entertaining
evening of song.
Neither attempt to imitate the artists they have chosen to celebrate,
but instead, put their own stamp on each song, with the support of excellent
musical arrangements from their superb five-piece band and backing singers,
Susie Ahern and Rocky Leprevite.
Attention to striking costuming and lighting design also set
their show apart from many on the touring circuit, exemplified by Callea’s
first entrance in a blaze of Swarovski diamantes to sing George Michael’s Father
Figure, followed by Campbell, only slightly less extravagantly costumed, to
sing Elton’s John’s Yellow Brick Road,
then joining Callea in a duet for George Michael’s Jesus to a Child,
with Callea finishing the set with stunning versions of George Michael’s I Can’t Make You Love Me and Kissing A
Fool.
The concert continued in in this vein, with the audience
reacting vociferously as song after favourite song featured, with the choices of
costuming becoming the basis of much of the humour; Campbell preferring more
conservative choices to Callea.
Both backing singers got a moment in the spotlight with Rocky
Leprevite joining Campbell for a medley of Elton John favourites, Tiny
Dancer, Rocket Man and Daniel, and Susie Ahern joining him for
George Michael’s, I knew You Were Waiting.
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| Anthony Callea & Tim Campbell performing "Songs of Elton and George" with the Australian Pops Orchestra in the Sydney Opera House in 2024. Photo: David Hooley. |
Guitarist Cory Jack joined Callea for a stripped back
version of Elton John’s Candle in the Wind which should have been a highlight
but unfortunately suffered from the over-amplification of the guitar, a problem
which seemed to creep in during the latter section of the concert when the band
tended to drown out the singers.
However, Callea and Campbell have devised a winning formula,
which will serve them well while-ever they maintain their production standard,
with the songs of carefully selected artists providing them with endless repertoire
on which to exercise their individual talents for imaginative re-invention.
Meanwhile, this is a concert you should not miss when it
comes your way. That is, if you’re lucky enough to find a ticket.
This review also featured in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au