Live Review: Alison Moyet, Steve Balbi

With a slew of hits dating back to the early 1980s and millions of record sales worldwide, it was no surprise to find a sizeable crowd waiting expectantly in the foyer of Perth's Riverside Theatre for Alison Moyet to make her first appearance on Australian soil for some 30 years. 

As the theatre steadily filled, the house lights dimmed and Steve Balbi made his way onto the stage to kick off the evening's proceedings. The onetime Noiseworks and Electric Hippies member delivered an impressive solo set, connecting instantly with the crowd which, judging by the number of British accents we detect, were most probably not familiar with his previous work. Opening with a stirring rendition of Tom Petty's Learning To Fly, Balbi effortlessly drew the crowd in with his open and honest approach before finishing off his all-too-brief set with a version of the Noiseworks hit Touch.

After a brief intermission, Alison Moyet took the stage much to the obvious delight of the audience. Opening with I Germinate, from her 2017 album, Moyet followed up with When I Was Your Girl and Wishing You Were Here before launching into Yazoo's 1982 mega hit, Only You. With some members of the audience calling out requests, she made it abundantly clear that unlike some nostalgia acts that seem to tour relentlessly and just rehash their greatest hits, she would instead be taking the audience on a musical journey that would cover her entire career, adding that now she's a "granny" she thankfully doesn't "do karaoke". 

Backed by John Garden on keyboards/guitar and Sean McGhee on synth/backing vocals, Moyet did indeed take her audience on a musical journey that highlighted her amazing bluesy contralto voice. Continuing on with Getting Into Something and then Changeling from her 2013 album The Minutes, she paused briefly for a quick shot of Sambuca before delivering a standout version of The Man In The Wings, which she cheekily described as a "classic", saying that "you will like it". She followed it up with Beautiful Gun, again from her latest album, which, as she pointed out, had an added poignancy following the recent events in Las Vegas.

With some members of the crowd still insisting on calling out requests, in particular Invisible, Moyet again paused and explained in no uncertain terms that she hadn't sung it in 30 years and would not be doing it tonight. She suggested that some members of the audience should perhaps have done some research before buying their tickets as, in all fairness, this tour had been promoted as anything but a greatest hits show. 

With a nod to the upcoming vote on same-sex marriage, Moyet continued on with another song from Other, The Rarest Birds, before finishing up her set with All Cried Out and Is This Love?. 

After waiting 30 years to see her live, the crowd had not had enough, however, and she soon returned to the stage to deliver a great encore with Love Resurrection and another Yazoo hit, Don't Go, which had most of the crowd up out of their seats and dancing, before thanking the audience and leaving the stage to thunderous applause.

In all, Moyet delivered a great performance highlighting her amazing vocal and songwriting talent. She continues to produce great music after more than 30 years in the industry. Sure, in the end Moyet gave the crowd the hits they wanted to hear but, refreshingly, she did it on her own terms and for that she should be congratulated.