ASGEIR @ Astor Theatre
w/ Gordi
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Between glowing poles of light, Icelandic singer-songwriter Asgeir’s hauntingly vulnerable voice led a soul-soothing performance at the Astor Theatre. After falling ill and buckling early at his performance at The Forum in Melbourne just one night prior, winter woes had no hold over his outstanding show for Perth fans.
Through a glow of sunset orange smoke, supporting artist Gordi’s looping deep vocals alongside a marching snare brought a preoccupied crowd into submission and to attention. The 22 year old Sydney singer-songwriter known best for her successful single Can We Work It Out arrested the crowd’s hearts in every moment of her time before them.
Her wistful lyrics and achingly passionate performance snared a sense of nostalgia as she alternated between her older and new music. With such densely emotional material she broke up her set by dropping charming commentary here and there between tracks, even luring laughter from the onlookers. Her performance was a special peek into the career of an Australian artist ready to soar.
Taking to the stage through smoke and white light, Asgeir’s silhouette glided between the poles that protruded vertically from the stage floor glowing Atlantic blue. After having successfully cast crowds at Splendour In The Grass under his spell, Asgeir’s much anticipated arrival back in WA took a dip into his divergent new sounding tracks from the album Afterglow that came to us in May this year, diverging from his former folk sounds.
The show was modest and intimate but brimming with bold new music. Uniquely there was an aura that had the crowd completely captured and phone cameras rarely rose to break the scene. Opening with the Host, you were immediately melted into a soundscape of melodic electronica swirling with his angelic voice.
Notably introverted, he humbly thanked his audience for their support and for making it out after performing his second track in a rare moment of direct engagement with the crowd. Highlights of the night involved his “treat” for Perth fans (which he laughed, was a re-gift as he’d already given it to Melbournians the night before) whereby he performed the Like A Version he did for Triple J, Stolen Dance by Milky Chance. The room came to life with favourites Stardust and King and Cross and for a moment in the night, The Astor Theatre was every inch aglow with Asgeir’s presence. When the performers strode off out of sight and the atmosphere fizzled, the audience weren’t having a bar of it.
Hammering feet, thunderous clapping and wine infused cheers enticed an encore from a vacant stage as Asgeir re-emerged. Torrent was a sweeping finale and a last blow of pure brilliance from what was a magical performance.
SARAH DAY
Photos by Alan Holbrook
