Live Review: Angus & Julia Stone, Jarryd James

Having taken time out from dominating Australia’s music scene for the last four years as a duo, Angus & Julia Stone are well and truly back.

They released their self-titled third album back in August and followed it with an extensive “backyard” tour, they’re back with a theatre tour and Valentine’s Day lovebirds, families, old-timers and Sunshine Coast young’ns were all treated to a breathtaking show from the brother and sister act.

An early 7.30pm set from fellow Aussie music-maker, Jarryd James, started the night. Although the hall remained relatively empty because of that early start time, standing gingerly on stage with his three-piece band, he still proved a flame to the moths of the audience. Humble and thankful, James ended his short yet sweet 30-minute set with Do You Remember, his track that has recently been gaining some airtime on triple j.

Angus & Julia Stone need no introduction. They’ve been playing their perfectly shiny and polished style of music for years now. Anticipation grew and grew and the room was suddenly rewarded with their first single in four years, Heart Beats Slow. To hear a new tune by such an iconic band starting off the night is always bound to be a special moment and the audience revelled in it. There were surprises to be found in an 11-song set comprised of tunes from all three of their records. Introducing the room to something a little special, lead goddess of potentially the whole universe, Julia Stone took over, with the greatest Valentine’s Day gift she could have bestowed, a cover she’d learned off “VHS recordings when I was seven or eight”, – none other than her spin on Grease’s You’re The One That I Want. Swathed in a single spotlight, shivers were sent down spines, yet no song caused more tingles than the final tune of the night, Santa Monica Dream, a song that doesn’t get played all too often but instils such silence amongst fans that (dumb clichés aside) it would have been possible to hear a single pin drop on those wooden floors. The a cappella duet between the Aussie sibling darlings ended the night with single starry pinprick lights dotting the wall behind them. Raucous applause followed, feet were stomped and bows were taken.

Listen up ladies and gentlemen. If by chance one day you’re lucky and you’re able to buy your significant other or son or daughter or mother or father or creepy dude down the road a ticket to an Angus & Julia Stone show for a Valentine’s Day sometime in the future, do it. If the show turns out to be half as special as Saturday night’s, you won’t need to buy another Christmas or birthday gift for the rest of your life. The Sunshine Coast was treated to such an exceptional show it had punters leaving the night smiling from ear to ear, their heads still up in the clouds.