Live Review: Tones & I, Adrian Eagle

There’s no better way to end a long weekend than a Monday night gig at The Zoo. There’s something magical about this venue. There's no glitz and glam about it - just some fairy lights, a few pedestal fans and an impressive calibre of artists coming through. The latest performer to join these ranks is Toni Watson aka Tones & I. The 19-year-old has quickly risen to be an Australian phenomenon, breaking records with her every move.

For tonight’s highly anticipated show, she is supported by Adelaide singer-songwriter Adrian Eagle, who has also been making an impact with his unshakeable positivity and desire to spread love and acceptance. Tonight was no exception to this, Eagle bringing the crowd together throughout his set. With kindness flowing through his music, it’s hard not to feel at peace. Eagle may be in the early days of his career, but he’s certainly won some new fans here tonight, ending his set with the track AOK and a room full of love. 

Tones & I takes to the stage soon after with a mixed crowd all banding together in anticipation. After a whirlwind climb up the charts that found Watson international fame, it’s interesting to witness her quick growth as both a performer and artist. When comparing tonight to her set at Splendour just a few months ago, the difference in her technique and onstage presence is noticeable. We see her confidence shine in the first part of tonight’s performance with tracks Never Seen The Rain and Colourblind. The energy in the room is at an all-time high, maintained by a cover of Flume and Chet Faker’s Drop The Game, Watson taking the original track and turning it upside down with an all-out Tones & I sound.

The crowd appreciates some soft-spoken anecdotes about the origins of Watson’s songs including Johnny Run Away and unreleased tracks introduced as 'Monday Train' and 'You’re So Fucking Cool'. The one-woman show has the audience jumping and dancing along with each song and the night reaches its ultimate climax with the record-breaking, room-shaking banger that is Dance Monkey. Unsurprisingly the track brings the house down, with everyone participating in a unified rave. The night is short but very sweet, finishing with The Kids Are Coming. It's tough to back up Dance Monkey, and it seemed the wrong song to end the night on. Nevertheless, tonight showcased exactly why Tones & I is becoming a household name in Australian music.