Live Review: David Gray, Ward Thomas

On the first leg of his Australian tour, British singer-songwriter David Gray put on a memorable show for his Perth fans. Riverside Theatre was already brimming with people when support act Ward Thomas took to the stage. With their stunning acoustics and mesmerising harmonies, the 25-year-old twin sisters, Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas were nothing short of delightful. While their live performance is a work-in-progress, they are undeniably extremely talented and are likely to pique the interest of many audience members over the duration of this tour.

David Gray's band entered the stage in single file, with the man of the hour bringing up the rear. Interestingly, Gray stood to the right of the stage with the band in the centre. They opened the set with the hauntingly beautiful, ethereal track, Mallory. While it may be one of Gray’s lesser-known songs, Mallory was an exceptional choice. Gray built the song up layer by layer; his voice echoing through the venue, accompanied by gentle percussion and tinkling piano. It was eerily surreal, with the orange lights shining out through the smoke and over the audience. The standard of the opening song certainly set expectations high for the rest of the show. Mallory was followed in close succession by The Sapling and the title track of his newest album Gold In A Brass Age. 

True to his lyric "Tonight we dance like no one sees us," Gray’s dance moves are verging on bad dad. His dancing may be questionable, but his vocal abilities certainly aren’t. For someone who has been on the music scene for over 25 years, his voice is every bit as good as was when he began. Gray has an incredibly unique yet powerful voice that you feel in the very pit of your stomach. The studio doesn’t do it justice – you have to see him in person to fully grasp the strength of his voice and the raw emotion it delivers. 

It wasn’t long until audience members began to call for Gray to play his classics. Credit should be given to Gray for recognising what the audience wanted to hear, even if it wasn’t what he wanted to play. He performed five songs from Gold In A Brass Age, before moving on with Sail Away from his 1998 breakthrough album White Ladder. The remainder of the set consisted of songs from several of his older albums. 

Gray rounded off his performance with the ever-popular single Babylon. As the opening riff played, the audience was unusually quiet for what was no doubt the most anticipated song of the evening. But when the chorus began, the entire crowd began to sing along. Their singing filled the entire venue, with many members of the audience taking to their feet to dance as they sang. It was a remarkable moment for any music lover. The conclusion of the song was met with a standing ovation. Gray returned to the stage for a two-song encore, including his two crowd favourites This Year’s Love and Please Forgive Me.