Review: Sarah Blasko at Astor Theatre
Sarah Blasko at Astor Theatre
Friday, September 19, 2025
She’s long been one of Australia’s favourite artists. Last Friday on The Double Feature Tour, Sarah Blasko reminded us why, during the 2000s, she was also every critic’s darling.
Playing her first two albums in full without an encore, Sarah Blasko used the opportunity to effectively tell an origin story. From a deeply religious upbringing (both parents were Christian missionaries), to finding her voice in church, to marriage at 21 and finally a decision to leave the church and her marriage and to find herself at 26, largely the songs chronologically mirrored her journey.
Debut record The Overture & the Underscore set the scene. Opening the show, a gentle strum for the excellent All Coming Back was met by skittering drums from PVT’s Laurence Pike, who was a force all night.
Always Worth It and Don’t U Eva were significant early in their questioning of change, while At Your Best featured a melodica solo from Blasko in place of the usual horns. Perfect Now was dedicated to her co-writer across the first two albums, Robert F. Cranny, whose presence was felt throughout the night, particularly in the electric guitar parts of Ben Fletcher (Bluebottle Kiss).
She may have missed a bridge in Counting Sheep, but the apocalyptic crescendo of True Intentions and Remorse proved a powerful ending, as up to six or seven synths were utilised in each song.
By contrast, hidden track Long Time, closing the first set, was affecting in its simplicity: just Blasko accompanied by David Hunt on guitar, concluding, “You say, ’Who’s gonna bring me water now?’/ Oh, you will work it out, somehow.”
Blasko was at turns a powerful weapon whose voice commanded our attention, while at others her oddball sense of humour and kooky dance moves made her a relatable eccentric. She’s always been a little awkward, and throughout the first album that charm was as present in her mannerisms as it was in the songs’ lyrics.
Returning after an intermission and a costume change, she re-emerged like a phoenix rising from the ashes for second album, What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have. Taking on the mantle of a glittering preacher, the sermons were suddenly hers; the orchestral baroque pop of the original recordings replaced by a post-punk intensity that packed a punch live. The awkwardness? That was now a fully formed voice and measured poise.
From the Bjork-isms of a perfectly replicated For You to a completely reimagined {Explain}, which was arguably song of the night for its enormous crescendo, the duckling became a swan; the girl became a woman. It felt intentional.
Amazing Things lived up to its title, which she explained was written for a life she envisioned at the time, even when it felt just out of reach. Queen of Apology was powerful in anchoring the second half, its lyric “Bride for the King of Blame/ I’m Queen of Apology” given context by her story.
A truly complete album from start to finish (this scribe would argue it’s still her finest), the penultimate Showstopper was as powerful as anything all night, Fletcher’s backing vocals joining Blasko in an unholy gospel: “I feel the trial, it’s mine/ I burn in this ire.”
If it sounds intense, it was. In the best of ways. Blasko has never sounded this heavy or powerful; neither has she looked so relaxed in her own skin.
HARVEY RAE
Photos by Linda Dunjey
