Live Review: London Grammar

There's some brutal construction going on around Melbourne and Olympic Parks at present, which means many punters are forced to walk the long way 'round.

The floor section of the arena is absolutely teeming with people while the stage is set up for London Grammar. The trio hit the stage and Hannah Reid sports leisure wear (aka trakkies). They open with Rooting For You and the heft of meaning conveyed through Reid's vocal nuances is matchless. The word "rooting" sounds unusual when sung in Reid's almost-operatic style (immature observation, we know). These songs are truly built around Reid's voice, every musical fragment serving to further elevate her extraordinary instrument. An LED screen spans the entire length of the back of the stage and gives a wonderful widescreen effect. Each song has an accompanying visual theme and we're transported through what appears to be a solar eclipse (in black and white) to an extraordinary forest that whales eventually swim through - these images are so spectacular that we often find ourselves mesmerised by the upstage action. Does anyone else reckon Dominic 'Dot' Major looks like he could be related to Harry Styles? Major's attention to detail in replicating sounds live on keys, drums and drum pads often pulls focus and keeps things organic.      

Wasting My Young Years is a thing of beauty and we're absolutely in awe of Reid's flawless pipes. This song is updated with some banging segments, which suit London Grammar well - could there be a dance album in their future? (Yes, please.) Reid reflects on what Australia means to her band: "You're kind of the reason why we have any career at all, really." Guitarist Dan Rothman tells us he had his hair cut in Fitzroy today and was thrilled by how lovely everyone was to him as he wandered around Melbourne. We learn he also purchased some trainers.

When Reid sits to play piano, with bushfire visuals in full effect on the screen behind the trio, the audience experience feels like mass meditation. Her vocal gushes out floods of pathos. When Major breaks a drumstick, he announces it's the first time that's happened and also could be the most rock'n'roll thing he's ever done. While introducing Hey Now, Reid points out it "got played first in Australia on the radio". After this song, Reid points out a front-row singing enthusiast - wearing specs and a topknot - saying he sounded better than she does at the moment (Reid told us earlier that she's been having some vocal problems lately). We wonder whether her voice is tiring during the sublime Strong ("Excuse me for a while/While I'm wide-eyed and I'm so down caught in the middle") when she regularly holds the mic out to the crowd during soaring choruses. London Grammar 'finish' with Big Picture, Reid hilariously telling us they'll be back if we cheer for more. 

Before their encore, the rainbow flag is projected on the screen and this message speaks louder given that this arena is named after someone who opposes marriage equality. Our applause is reassuring. Particularly in her lower register, Reid's singing really hits you in the feels. Metal & Dust is glorious, the instrumental flourishes evoking Massive Attack. Reid's voice is like a tuning rod for the soul. We prescribe London Grammar for what ails you. Warning: pack some tissues.