After a three-year journey of self discovery, Whitley has returned to the world of music, appearing to have well and truly found himself.
Marking his resurrection with a string of capital city shows, the Melbourne singer-songwriter rounded off his tour with a performance in his home state.
Opening for Whitley, aka Lawrence Greenwood, was Melbourne five-piece, Tully On Tully.
The small crowd that had gathered early were treated the band’s strong rhythmic tunes, angst ridden vocals and heavy, post-rock style instrumentation.
The powerful, throaty vocals of lead singer Natalie Foster penetrated the room, at times enhanced by great harmonies, particularly within their stand-out single “Stay”.
Self described as progressive folk pop, this particular set with its heavy drums, keys and electric guitar bordered more on rock music.
Filling the second support slot for the night was another local act, folk-pop songstress Esther Holt. Her inclusion is not surprising given she contributed vocals on Whitley’s latest album, but here she was given the opportunity to showcase her own music.
A blend of dreamy, country influenced pop ballads and energetic, banjo driven folk songs, Holt’s music is cheery and uplifting.
A few vocal fans shouted words of encouragement and others tapped their feet to the infectious track, “Rock Me Through The Night”, the second single from her debut EP Countless Verse.
Concluding with an upbeat, harmony filled cover of The Presets’ “This Boy’s In Love”, the electronic dance track was cleverly reincarnated into a country music infused pop song.
The stage returned to darkness and the crowd jostled for position at the front of the stage in anticipation of the night’s headliner. Whitley appeared and took a seat under the spotlight at his organ. “Hello,” he nodded, “it’s good to be home.”
Back in Melbourne and back on the live music circuit, Whitley performed a selection of older tracks and debuted material from his highly anticipated third album, Even The Stars Are A Mess.
Performing with four other musicians in tow, Whitley serenaded the crowd with his distinctive husky vocals and his heartfelt, down-tempo brand of ambient folk-pop.
As well as new songs, Whitley brought with him a seemingly new attitude. Suffering unrelenting criticism throughout his career for his bad mannered attitude and low tolerance of disruptive fans, the tongue in cheek artist admitted, “As you may or may not know, I’m a bit crabby with the talk”. He seemed to have moved past this, and the Whitley of 2013 displayed a newfound light heartedness.
Perhaps more comfortable with himself, or perhaps more content with the new level of control he has over his music, the talented and hard working musician was, this time, easy to watch.
His performance, whilst still expletive laden, was relaxed and friendly. Chatting more openly with his fans, Whitley’s disjointed and at times immature banter was in stark contrast to his skillfully crafted music and engaging, earnest lyrics.
Introducing his new material early with “TV” and “Roadside”, the organ takes centre stage with long, drawn out chords accompanying Whitley’s echoing vocals. Great lighting enhances each musician’s contribution, flashing between different band members with great effect.
Taking a moment to look out at the crowd before introducing his band, the 28-year-old musician seemed humbled by the number of people who had come out to see him. “Fuck there’s a lot of people here”, he exclaimed, with trademark profanities. “Thanks for your money!”
Laughing that this money will likely contribute to getting his “1991 Corolla back on the road”, Whitley does take time to seriously thank his fans.
“You’re a great crowd, I really appreciate it”, he says earnestly, before returning to the jokes. “I’m so glad the tour ended this way, or I would’ve retired again…sorry about that by the way.”
Finishing with the intricate guitar picking and delicate harmonies of “More Than Life”, followed by the slow burner, “I Am Not A Rock”, Whitley returns for a single song encore.
“I wouldn’t normally sing this song as it’s so cheesy,” he warns, “but it feels so good to sing.”
Launching into his popular cover of ABBA’s pop hit, “Dancing Queen”, Whitley’s beautiful, emotional, stripped back version of this 70s tune exemplifies everything that’s great about him as a musician.
Creative, emotive and sincere in his musical storytelling, fans welcomed Whitley’s return with open arms. Here’s hoping he doesn’t disappear again.
