Vera Blue captivated audience members at the Sydney Coliseum Theatre with reimagined renditions of her hit songs
Image: Vasili Papathanasopoulos
Last night, Aussie songstress Vera Blue made her return to the stage, performing an exclusive orchestral show at the Sydney Coliseum Theatre. Performing reimagined versions of her hit songs, the performance is apart of the Great Southern Nights program, which sought out to bring live music back to NSW after the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to touring. The musical project of Celia Pavey, Vera Blue recently released her new track, Lie To Me, her first release since signing with US label Republic Records.
Warming up the crowd was singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Hauskey. Performing a handful of fan favourites, the musician flawed audience members with his strong and clear vocal performance. The one-man show saw Hauskey showcase his skills not only as a vocalist, but as an instrumentalist. His set saw him performing tracks on the piano, acoustic and electric guitar, whilst also incorporating a drum pad. The musician had a refreshing rapport with the audience, cracking jokes between tracks and thanking them for their warm reception. Having seen her rehearsal, Hauskey assured fans they were in for a treat when Pavey took to the stage. And he was not wrong.
As the lights dimmed, a magical and tranquil soundscape begin to play as members of the orchestra took to the stage. Building to a crescendo, Pavey appeared in an angelic tule gown. Opening with Everything Is Wonderful, the singers vocals captivated audience members from her first note, right up to the conclusion of the show. Lit up in tones of blue, the enchanting stage included large floral arrangements from Sydney florist, Mr Cook. The combination of Pavey's vocals, the orchestral nature of the performing and the staging and lighting, created a magical atmosphere within the theatre.
Fan favourites such as Lady Powers and Settle had fans dancing in their seats. Taking a quick break between songs, Pavey thanked Great Southern Nights for hosting the event and also thanked fans for attending as she asked for the house lights to go up so she could see every audience member. She then sat at her piano and revealed she was about to play an unheard track. The Curse centres around unrequited love and was written by Pavey only recently. The breathtakingly beautiful song created a standout moment in the set, with a ray of light beaming on the singer as her vocals soared.
Throughout the set, Pavey showed off just how well rounded a musician she is, often picking up the electric and bass guitar, as well a stellar stripped back performance of Lie To Me on the acoustic guitar. Then she joined the orchestra, picking up her violin to perform Private. The combination of Pavey's unmatched vocals and her instrumental abilities created an unparalleled live experience. She even played the glockenspiel! Pavey was not just relying on vocal acrobatics, she was showcasing her incredible musicianship all over.
During Regular Touch, the singer resembled a ballerina as she gracefully twirled around on stage, with fans singing along to every word. As her set drew to a close, Pavey picked up the guitar to perform a beautiful rendition of Mended. The mesmerising performance created an emotional moment in the show, one that floated within the theatre. Returning for an encore after the raucous applauds from fans, Pavey returned to the stage to perform her collaboration with Flume, Running Back. The euphoric performance was the perfect way to end the ethereal and mesmerising night.
Re-crafting all of her tracks to fit within an orchestral realm was a genius move from Pavey. The singer gave an unmatched vocal performance, with such power and clarity that struck you as soon as the performance began. Having only teased fans with a glimpse into her next body of work, it's safe to say that we're in for a treat!