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Images: Vasili Papathanasopoulos.
Sydney seven-piece, Sir Archer have returned to the stage to celebrate the release of their latest single, Burning Down. Supported by Vast Hill and Jacket Weather, the group took over Sydney’s Lansdowne Hotel for an evening of soulful live music.
Opening with the smooth rhythms of These Walls, aureate tones and red-based hues filled the room whilst frontman Luke Zancanaro’s captivating vocals lured the dancing audience in. The set showed the bands eclectic sonic realm, bringing together threads of funk, 80’s pop and country early in their set. Just A Taste channeled Lady A’s Need You Now, whilst Calypso could slot perfectly into an early Maroon 5 album, albeit with a more reggae influence.
Throughout the night, each band member had their individual shining moments, showcasing each artists musical prowess. Whilst also working cohesively together and never missing a beat. Their superb vocal harmonies rang throughout the room, led by Zancanaro’s unwavering performance. Drummer Rick Austin’s rhythmic expertise drove the set, whilst bassist Brad Marsden kept the grooves going. Guitarists James Black and Tommy Novak provided magnetic riffs and melodies that had the audience enthralled, with Dominic Cabbusi sprinkling shimmering keys lines throughout the set.
Meandering between fan favourites from their catalogue, as well as a handful of unreleased cuts, the set seemed to lose its stride throughout the middle, with a succession of slow-burning tracks. Whilst Wake Up created a cruisy vibe with its relaxed bongo work and glistening wind chimes, it’s pairing with When I Was Younger, Baby It’s You and 6/4, an unreleased track which felt like a fusion of The Script, Mitch James and The Lion King, resulted in a lack of audience participation.
The group were able to pick it back up with Let It Out, the crowd once again cheering along and embodying the spirit of the track. The jubilant moment serves as the end of the bands set, before returning for an encore. Following cheers and pleas from the crowd for “one more song”, the band returned to the stage for a couple more tracks. The audience sang along to Whip It, before the band thanked them for attending the performance.
Closing their set with their latest single, Burning Down, the night met its energetic climax with a driving crowd sing-a-long leading to the songs final chorus. What remained clear throughout the night was the tight unity of the band, and their ease in feeding off each others energies to present a steadfast performance. With a more focused set curation and emphasis on interaction with their audience, there’s no doubt Sir Archer could become a staple act in Sydney’s live music scene.
Burning Down is out now!