You know you’ve been working too hard when you end up another gig before you’ve had time to write about another gone past. I’ve been slammed with work lately, which meant that a tour from one of my favourite performers, Joshua Radin, came at exactly the right time. Joshua’s brand of music, what he calls “whisper rock,” has always has a way of calming me down, so it really hit the spot near the end of last month.
I must admit, when I heard Joshua’s close friend Cary Brothers was on supporting duty I fired up his back catalogue on Spotify, determined to get to know his music. After a couple of tracks I gave up. While Joshua’s gentle music soothes me, I found Cary’s similar folky sounds a little boring. So I really wasn’t looking forward to his set. It’s funny how different a live experience can be though. I was mesmerised by his beautiful folk music, hanging on to every single word the charming Cary sang. There were no frills here; just a man with an acoustic guitar and some incredible songs I’d underestimated on the first listen. Despite knowing one of my favourite singers was coming, I felt a little disappointed when Cary announced his final song.
My disappointment didn’t last too long though. My heart soared as Joshua Radin took to the stage and treated us to the first strums of his acoustic guitar. “No Envy, No Fear” has become an almost predictable opener, but it’s still so powerful. Joshua brought down the traditional barriers that usually exist between audience and performer early, stepping away from the microphone during the song to sing unaided. It’s a testament to the attentive crowd and the intimacy of the wonderful Factory Theatre that we could still hear him perfectly.
Joshua isn’t the kind of artist who tops the charts, so he doesn’t really have singles the crowd waits for. We’re also never sure quite where the set will go, but because most of us are so familiar with his albums we’re excited to find out. We want to hear the album tracks that speak to us, although Joshua writes such important music that most songs do. I lost count of the number of times I leaned over to my husband to squeeze his hand in excitement or whisper “I love this song!” We had a moment together huddled close, singing along with “My My Love” from Wax Wings. I found myself wiping away tears as Joshua played us “Winter,” one of the first of his songs I fell for.
Joshua Radin is such a special performer. A little like Cary Brothers, he performs without bells and whistles. His gentle songs and sweet demeanour draw you in and cast a spell over the entire room. When so many musicians worry about stage spectaculars, it’s refreshing to see artists like him who simply celebrate the song.
I felt so tightly wound before seeing Joshua play at the Factory Theatre. I was stressed about my work deadlines, getting to Marrickville, and what time I’d need to arrive to score a decent spot in this venue I’d never visited (I’m not a fan of general admission shows for that very reason). Yet by the time Cary returned to join Joshua for the encore, a cover of “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,” I realised this wonderful music had well and truly calmed me down. Sometimes you see a show just when you need to see it. Joshua might have left us waiting so long that he worried we might have forgotten about him, but he was well and truly worth the wait.
Image source: Stephen Katulka
But Joshua Radin was the man we all came to see. Despite being here to promote his album Onward and Sideways, his set took on a journey through his entire catalogue. In fact if anything it was heaviest on his debut album, after fans at the soundcheck told him they’d love to hear the early material. I sat in raptures, hanging onto his every word as he explained the circumstances behind the songs and listening to them with new understanding. After a backing band that felt too big for his songs last tour, it was refreshing to see him playing with just two other musicians. They gave the music the right amount of intimacy. My favourite Joshua Radin song “You’ve Got Growing Up To Do” was a real highlight, but “Winter,” “Only You,” and the jubilant” Belong” was also really special. Hell, the whole concert was special. His cover of “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright,” the first song he learned to play on a guitar, capped things off beautifully.
Thankfully we were all settled in for Andy Bull. I’d enjoyed the music I’d heard from Andy before, but experiencing it in a live setting brought it to another level. This is probably one of the larger venues he’s played, but he made it feel so intimate with his stories about the songs and sweet, self conscious manner. It takes a very special performer to fill a theatre with just a voice and some keyboards. Despite being excited about Joshua’s appearance, I was a little sad to see him leave the stage.
21 June 2011 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney