Tag: Phil Burton

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Phil x Phil – Phil Burton @ Wyong Rugby League Club, Darkinjung Country/Kanwal – 10 October 2026

If you thought Phil Burton was sitting around twiddling his thumbs waiting for his Las Vegas-based Human Nature mates to return, think again. While he still performs as part of Human Nature when the other lads are in Australia, Phil is also forging his own path as a solo performer. He admitted he was terrified for his Songs That Shaped My Soul shows in 2023, but he seems to have shaken off the nerves for his latest endeavour Phil x Phil. While his first solo dates offered a mix of Human Nature material and covers, Phil is more laser-focused this time around with a show celebrating the music of Phil Collins.

I was lucky enough to see Phil Collins in 2019, on what will likely be his last Australian tour. His voice was flawless, but issues with his hip and back saw him seated for most of the performance. I didn’t mind; I was just so excited to see this true legend perform. But attending Phil Burton’s show on Saturday gave me a little insight into what I might have enjoyed if I’d caught Phil Collins earlier in his career. Those Human Nature dance skills came in handy as Phil grapevined and box-stepped around the stage, performing with the kind of energy that Phil Collins just can’t muster these days. At the Phil Collins show, I also marvelled at the strength of his back catalogue. I have never owned a Phil Collins album, but his music dominated the airwaves, ensuring anyone who listened at the time knows every word. So while the Phil x Phil concept might seem a little niche, it actually works perfectly.

Phil assured us he’d keep the talking to a minimum because there was so much music to get through, and he was right. While the show stretched over more than two hours, it seemed to pass in the blink of an eye because every song was a banger. Most of the set list drew from Phil Collins’s solo era, but I was thrilled Phil reminded us of where it all began with Genesis’ “That’s All.” What a tune it is, the perfect showcase for Phil’s fantastic voice and his super-tight band.

Assembling the right musicians would always be key for these shows. When you think of Phil Collins’s music, you think about those epic drums in “In the Air Tonight,” the trumpet flourishes in “I Missed Again” and “Something Happened on the Way to Heaven,” and the saxophone solo of “One More Night.” I’ve seen the musicians Phil Collins hand-picked, and honestly I think every one of Phil Burton’s players was at least their equal. They’re also exceptional singers. While mostly they stuck to backing vocals, Phil gave them all time to shine on a beautiful ensemble rendition of “You’ll Be in My Heart.” The Voice alum Rebecca Selley was more than a backing vocalist; she was Phil’s partner in crime, matching him up front with dance moves and powerful vocals. Watching her handle Philip Bailey’s challenging parts in “Easy Lover” was an absolute joy.

Although he stayed true to his word and kept the chat to a minimum, Phil couldn’t resist asking us every now and again whether we’d heard our favourite song yet. Every time, I heard more people answering in the affirmative. I think by the time he treated us to “Sussudio” for the encore, everyone had heard that special song they were waiting for, and then some. It brought many of us to our feet, knowing that it was our last opportunity to dance and show our appreciation for this fantastic night of music.

While he’ll be back with his Human Nature mates before too long, Phil doesn’t need them to put on a show. With serious vocal chops, charm, and one of the tightest bands around, his Phil x Phil shows are a delightful celebration of Phil Collins’ legacy. Only one more is announced: EVAN Theatre in Mooroo Murak/Penrith on October 23. Tickets are on sale now from Ticketek. Trust me, you do not want to miss it.

Photo credit: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Phil Burton @ Lizotte’s, Mulubinba/Newcastle – 10 February 2023

After decades touring with Human Nature, Phil Burton has gone solo. It must be a daunting prospect, stepping out from one of Australia’s most beloved acts, especially one that relies so heavily on harmonies. He admitted to the crowd at Lizotte’s, his very first solo show, that he was terrified. But he kept those nerves in check and proved that he doesn’t need the safety net of Human Nature to wow music lovers.

Phil’s Songs That Shaped My Soul tour concept is a simple one, but a real crowd-pleaser. It makes sense, given Human Nature’s recent success playing Motown covers, that he’d stick to popular songs rather than originals. However, this show gives Phil the freedom to branch out from that box and present a much wider range of music that made him the man he is today. He told us about discovering his father’s record collection and flashed us a few of its gems. Albums like “Dark Side of the Moon,” “Hotel California,” and “Silk Degrees” – my dad had them all too. Having a similar musical upbringing, I loved hearing his covers of tracks like “Lido Shuffle” and “New York State of Mind”. His version of John Farnham’s “Comic Conversations”, the song he used to perform to show off, left no doubt that he’s a vocal talent to be reckoned with. These are songs that would never make a Human Nature set, and he clearly relished performing them for us.

Of course, Phil couldn’t totally ignore his part in Australia’s biggest boyband. After realising a song like Tellin’ Everybody, where he simply provided harmonies, wouldn’t work, he took the lead on “Wishes” and “Every Time You Cry.” He also brought us plenty of soul, including those Motown songs that packed out the houses in Vegas.

Since this was Phil’s show, he could cherry-pick the songs that meant the most to him, and the gig was stronger for it. I was a massive Human Nature fan in my teens, but they kind of lost me with the Motown era as I felt it was a little by the numbers. While it sounded good, it lacked a little heart for me. Here though Phil was in his element.

I saw this show with my parents. It occurred to me that Dad hadn’t seen Human Nature since he happened upon them by chance supporting Celine Dion at the very start of their careers. He’d never felt compelled to see a show, even though there was a time his daughter didn’t miss one. He initially wasn’t going to come to this date, but after seeing Phil being interviewed on one of the morning TV shows, he realised he would play plenty of the songs he loved and asked if we could add a seat at our table.

My mother has gone to a handful of Human Nature gigs with me over the years. Yet I’ve never heard her rave about one of them as she did the other night. I lost count of the number of times she leaned over to excitedly say “He’s so good!” She was one of the many people up dancing by the end of the night.

As for me, the passionate Human Nature fan back in the day, I felt an immense sense of pride. I loved the nostalgia of this show, hearing a few Human Nature classics but also the songs I grew up listening to. Phil’s voice was flawless, proving that while he sounds great harmonising he can more than hold his own fronting his own gig. As word spreads about his solo shows, I have no doubt that he can keep on packing out venues as he did with Human Nature. For now he’s clearly testing the waters with New South Wales dates, but hopefully he’ll get the confidence from this run and announce shows in the other states. Until then, you can catch him at these remaining dates:

16 February 2023 – Camelot Lounge, Bulanaming/Marrickville
25 February 2023 – Brass Monkey, Kurranulla/Cronulla

Image source: Stephen Katulka