Live Review: Amy Shark, Fractures, Tom West

Amy Shark's national Night Thinker tour, in support of her exciting debut EP of the same name, finally reached Adelaide. It showcased a polished set with great dynamics and pace, as well as a rare level of intimacy for a sold-out gig in a spacious venue like The Gov.

Adelaide's local singer-songwriter Tom West started off the night with a solo acoustic set, featuring just his guitar and his delicate yet powerful voice. West was followed by the main tour support, Fractures, a project created by Melbourne-based artist Mark Zito but who was joined by a childhood friend introduced only as "Will". The duo were at their best on the most stripped down songs, singing together in harmony over beautifully sparse and atmospheric backdrop of pads, bass synths, piano and guitars. It would have been interesting to hear songs like Lowcast with live percussions and drums.

This whole time the lights had been pointing at the back wall with the two words - "Amy Shark' - painted in big white letters, a reminder of who was to follow. Indeed, from the moment Shark stepped on stage until the moment she left, her commanding stage presence was writ large as her own name.

Drive You Mad started to play — a drawn out version that built anticipation and made the simple act of Shark stepping on stage seem like a grand entrance. Shark's set felt very carefully planned out, noting she wanted to hit Adelaide with a very polished show — so much so that even the banter felt incredibly timed.

The set-up was a simple three-piece band with live drums and occasional sampled percussions, alternated keys and bass and Shark singing and playing guitar. It presented a flawless integration of live instruments and the use of backing tracks in songs like Weekends, which used sampled vocals. Highlights Blood Brothers and her most well-known song Adore closed the night and got people in the moment to sing along.