Live Review: Xavier Rudd, The Teskey Brothers

With the end of the Storm Boy tour approaching, Xavier Rudd should have had plenty of time to polish his act. Unfortunately, this performance at the Fremantle Arts Centre didn’t quite meet expectations. Things started promisingly enough, and support act The Teskey Brothers seemed to substantially pique the interest of the audience. Their polished combination of soul and blues, accompanied by lead singer Josh Teskey's powerful and energetic voice, certainly captured the audience's attention long before the main act took the stage. The use of a trumpet and trombone throughout the performance really topped off that old school sound. The Teskey Brothers were something of a diamond in a coal mine.

The Tesky Brothers @ Fremantle Arts Centre. Pic by Jodie Downie

A lot of Xavier Rudd’s music includes commentary on important political, social and environmental issues. As you would have guessed, this reflected heavily in his live performance. Before Rudd entered the stage, a man used the spotlight to call for action against fracking in the Kimberley. “Help protect one of the last four remaining wildernesses on the planet,” he said to the waiting crowd, as they responded with cheers and claps. This speech largely set the thematic precedent for songs to come. 

As the lights dimmed, you could vaguely make out the band members making their way across stage. Rudd seemed to appear out of thin air, wearing a tie-dye denim jacket with his signature bare feet. The concert began with a bang, as they launched themselves into the spirited and upbeat single from the new album, Honeymoon Bay. Rounding the song off with an impressive solo from the keyboard player on a bamboo drum, the audience was left excited for the night ahead.

Rudd’s long-anticipated ninth studio album Storm Boy is reminiscent of his earlier music but it just misses the mark. Many of the songs are rather insipid and forgettable, simply blending into one another. Unfortunately, this followed through to the live performance, evident in the waning interest of the audience.

His connection with the audience can at best be described as intermittent throughout the show. There were several times where he tried to instigate audience interaction, but it was frequently lacking in the enthusiasm that there should have been. While some moments may have pleased the diehard Xavier Rudd fans, a large portion of the audience seemed to struggle to muster more than occasional enthusiasm.

Xavier Rudd @ Fremantle Arts Centre. Pic by Jodie Downie

There were a few songs that stood out far among the rest, including Honeymoon Bay and some older hits. Judging by the audience’s reactions, many were waiting for a few of Rudd’s classics to be played, but these were sparsely provided. Understandably many artists don’t like to play the same songs repeatedly, but sometimes it’s needed to keep the crowd interested and engaged. This was definitely one of those times. Unfortunately, it took until the end of the concert, with Follow The Sun as the closing song and Spirit Bird as part of the encore, to get a glimpse of what the concert could have been. 

Despite all of this, there is no doubt that Rudd is a fantastic artist. His versatility on the instruments is astounding. The audience watched on in awe as he moved from acoustic guitar, to slide guitar, to the drums then the harmonica. Frequently throughout the show, he played two instruments at once. His solos on the didgeridoo were highlights of the concert, reminding the audience of his raw talent as well as celebrating his Wurundjeri heritage. Even if he seemingly hit a low in Fremantle last night, he still managed to maintain his status as an Australian legend.