After what has been nearing on a decade, Cody ChestnuTT arrived back to Sydney a more mature man, an evolved musician and a sheer force of happy energy last Saturday night.
Supported by Sydney based avant-jazz vocalist, Ngaiire and backed by a modest yet sonically rich three-piece, ChestnuTT made the wait worthwhile.
Likening the gig to a church ceremony would cheapen it, because everyone actually wanted to be there. However, there was something akin to religious fervour as the flock followed their red cardigan preacher into the light of his music.
When Ngaiire took to the stage, the room was only half full but very attentive. As she showed off her incredible vocal range throughout her eclectic set, she took the audience on a journey of imagination and beautifully structured neo soul.
Having had just completed a national tour for her debut album Lamentations, Ngaiire performed her set with great energy, although there was a lack of engagement with the crowd. This may have been the result of the room slowly filling up a little later than was probably expected. Utilising soft electro spaciousness and multi layered rhythms.
Ngaiire journeyed through a collection of compositions that were as unique as the circumstances that brought her to Australia from Papua New Guinea when she was 16 and saw her travelling between Australia and Japan to complete her debut. This was perfect entrée to a main course of ChestnuTT.
If the emotive energy of a room is something that can be quantified, then when Cody ChestnuTT bounced onto stage with an air of confidence befitting a man on his honeymoon, significant measurability was achieved.
The four-piece began to work their way through 2012’s, Landing On A Hundred. They were laidback, looked like they were having a lot of fun and their playing was tight. Local boy Marcello Maio was a demon on the keys and was obviously well in his element, jamming out to the tunes and enjoying some improv with the boys.
ChestnuTT made sure that the crowd never felt too far from his heart by sharing with everyone in the room, his feelings and personal hardships in such an honest manner.
He is cheeky and can reflect a childlike innocence in the way he can may it all seem like a big wonderful game that he has allowed you to join. This resulted in a completely attentive audience, more than happy to sing along or share a hug with ChestnuTT when he went into the crowd for a bit of Cody time.
Straying clear of previous works from his debut album, The Headphone Masterpiece and keeping to the newest material allowed ChestnuTT to narrate through song, a story of where he is in his own life today as a person as well as an artist.
Touching moments were “Till I Met Thee” and “Love Is More Than A Wedding Day”, stories of his own experiences of the heart that well received by both the lovers and looking for lovers alike.
Although there was a certain amount of expectancy for some of the older catalogue to be played, there was no disappointment after ChestnuTT explained that the period in his life when he wrote those songs is over and he wanted to focus on the here and now.
All in all this was a beautiful performance that glowed with sincerity and soul and left Sydney hoping that the time between his next visit would be a great deal shorter than the last.
