It looks like Tom Krell has some pain behind those eyes.
Warmly welcomed on stage by the gathering fans at The Corner, the man behind How To Dress Well admits that he is quite lethargic from the previous evening’s antics, having performed in Adelaide with some hefty after-show beverages, and “falling too easily in love, before getting up this morning and coming to Melbourne.”
Did the weary performer let the not-so-distant memory of the evening before wither away his enthusiasm to be playing at the Corner? Not one bit. His little face bearing a big smile as he thanks onlookers for coming out for the show.
The lightened mood in the room quickly transforms as soon as Krell belts out the first heart wrenching notes, emotions streaming out of his being and pouring over the stage.
The heavy singer keeps his eyes closed, feeling every painful note and enrapturing the audience.
The slow introduction to ‘When I Was In Trouble’ was accompanied by Krell’s musical companion on piano, as well as incredible visuals dancing across the performer’s faces and screens around the stage. With a softer, meditative approach to the tune, it was all too easy to lose yourself in the atmosphere – in the songs and the words.
The singer’s longing and yearning vocals were extravagant in ‘Suicide Dream 2’, with the higher notes resembling a strong desire – of longing, loss, or love. No matter the meaning behind Krell’s emotive lyrics, he wears them proudly and produces them with such raw feelings that it is borderline confronting to witness.
It is known to some that he has experienced many issues with mental illness with his family and loved ones, and this is something he incorporates into his music. The beautiful videos of young girls swallowed into a struggling world, images of pensive running waters, and faces screaming, voiceless, play throughout the evening.
The audience had opportunity to dance around in songs like ‘& It Was You’, which mixed up the evening nicely and ensured that the crowd didn’t get lulled into a sleepless dreamy daze.
A major highlight of the evening was the performance of ‘Talking To You’, with an extra long intro incorporating the track ‘World I Need You, Won’t Be Without You’. Mesmerising violin showers the potent longing vocals of drawn out crooning. Stripping back to a capella, violins and pianos, audience members were able to experience the entirety of these musicians’s raw talent.
‘Ready For The World’ also showcased the swelling dreamy violin, with Krell mixing it up, adding texture with verses of powerful melancholic lyrics. The audience sways with the waves of colour floating across the singer’s face, revealing an honest and unseen romance to the song.
Announcing his last song, Krell glides into ‘Set It Right’, a tear-jerkingly soft tune that hides his voice behind a wall of thrumming noise. Breaking away from the drone of the music, whispers turn into ballads and Krell is left unravelling his heart, singing to those he has lost, physically or otherwise; “Jamie, I miss ya/ Mama, I miss ya/ and Dad, I miss ya.”.
The evening had a different vibe to the records, stripping things back to their bare minimum, with a propensity towards heavy hearted sounds that can be quite intense, but provide an exceedingly remarkable energy to feel.
