THERE’S WALLY

GOTYE / Big Scary / Husky

Belvoir Amphitheatre
Friday, December 9, 2011

Although it was a Friday night many punters got down early to enjoy the weather and no doubt get a valuable piece of Belvoir real estate in which to enjoy Gotye, also known as solo artist Wally de Backer, christen the amphitheatre with the first of three shows. The week started wet and windy but the clouds were evidently spent as a slightly warm day brought a clear, comfortable night.

Melbourne duo Big Scary opened the night, entertaining early birds with their mix of soft, piano pop and garage band, fuzzy guitar riffs. By the time second support act, Husky, hit the stage the bodies had quickly filled the grass terraces of the amphitheatre and the crowd was already skin to skin in the lower section.
Husky moved through a short set with tunes featured on their album Forever So, including current Triple J darling Dark Sea. They seemed to please the crowd, but I found them sounding out of their depth on the giant stage, and their vocal harmonies were way off for my delicate ears. A truly terrible cover of The Beatles’ What Goes On, sung with just a guitar and vocals huddled around one mic near the end of their set wasn’t anywhere near up to the standard of the stage and could have easily been found at any open mic night. But of course tastes vary like Mississippi craw-fish and the crowd seemed somewhat satisfied.
After a quick intermission the lights and house music faded down to fevered applause. Gotye’s chosen band of musicians filled the stage and immediately launched in to Eyes Wide Open, from this year’s Making Mirrors. It’s running beat was bashed out by the dedicated drummer at the back and Wally came on to take centre stage.
To Wally’s right was a standing drum kit set up and in front of him a flock of instruments, including one that can best be described as a digital vibraphone with a full LCD display. As the heavy, bass drum hits of the chorus came in Wally picked up his drum sticks and knocked them out, returning to the mic for his vocals. This movement between mic, keys and drums during his songs would be his style for the night, adding the heavy hits of his tom drums to lift choruses and breaks.
A band of 10 musicians flanked Wally’s centre position, including a few percussionists, some back up singers slash brass players, guitarists and keys section. If you walked down assuming that Gotye was the name of a band, you’d be suitably impressed with the band itself. But of course Gotye is a solo effort by Wally and he has just clearly chosen musicians with experience and talent as they recreated hits from Gotye’s last two albums with near CD perfect performances and truly minimal backing tracks, if any.
Moving from the slow and ponderous Heart’s A Mess to the Motown feel of I Feel Better, Gotye showed off the range of his work which showcases his deep respect for the old but unchained enthusiasm for something new. This was definitely reflected in the audience, ranging from 18 to 55 but all thoroughly enjoying the same experience.
With three shows, two of which were sell outs, there are no doubt lots of satisfied Gotye fans in Perth. But judging by the grins of the people walking out and the glowing international reviews, Australia’s best talent is only just warming up.

_TOM VARIAN