Review: Bill Callahan at the State Theatre, Sydney, March 5th, 2020
Sydney lay witness to timeless western experimental singer-songwriter Bill Callahan on the eve of Thursday 5th of March. Although poised in posture and temperament, his initial stoicism gave way to an arresting performance that amplified over the night.
Seemingly unfazed by their opulent surroundings, boisterous greek duo Xylouris White provided a tempestuous warm-up. The Dirty Three’s infamous drummer Jim White brandished all manner of percussive instruments. Testing the integrity and acoustic capabilities of the State Theatre, White cast thunderous vibrations throughout. Meanwhile, partner George Xylouris mirrored his fervour, adding impassioned greek vocals and impressive laouto skills to tame the raucous.
Not pressured to match their zeal, Bill Callahan and his band then gently reclaimed the space as their own. Bill swanned onto the stage with an immediately striking presence. Cool and composed in comparison to the unbridled and exuberant heat emanating from Xylouris White.
The undeniable sheriff of the stage, Bill gave an imperceptible nod towards the drums before plucking the first strings to ‘Writing’. His bass-filled contemplative tone uttered the first words; “It feels good to be writing, again”. Galvanised by a chirpy double bass and electric guitar noodling just outside the foreground, the audience was immediately under his spell.
Drifting seamlessly from one track to another, his third song ‘America!’ felt somewhat disjointed. The repetition of a patriotic cry was somewhat jarring for Australian audiences, who were eventually consoled in the final lines ‘Ain’t enough to eat, In America!’. A 2011 observation of Callahan’s that is eerily reminiscent of the current political climate in the U.S.
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Interweaving newer and older records encompassing his critically acclaimed Smog days, longstanding fans were pleased to hear hits like ‘Lets Move To The Country’. Equally as gratifying was his rendition of Leonard Cohen’s ‘So Long Marianne’. Although playing it safely in line with Cohen’s original, he also made it a ballad entirely of his own.
His velvety-soft drawls drew audiences in one final time with ‘Riding for the Feeling’ and we saluted our dreamy drover.
