The first time I saw Josh Pyke live was an outdoor blues festival. The rain started up just before his set, and I remember shivering with a plastic bag over my head as I tried to wipe the water from my glasses and watch him in action. What a difference a few years makes. Last Saturday I was seeing him again, but tucked up warm and dry in the wonderfully intimate Cessnock Performing Arts Centre.
I must admit, before this tour I didn’t realise Cessnock had a performing arts centre. What an underutilised space it is, with excellent acoustics, comfy seats, and wine in the foyer. It was the ideal setting for such a show like this, where well-crafted songs were at the fore.
The first came from Jack Carty, a performer I’ve always loved but until this point had never seen live before. What a talent he is. Most of the audience probably had no clue who he was, but they were hushed. Such is the power of this captivating singer-songwriter. With just an acoustic guitar, an incredible voice, and songs written with such poetic lyrics, he captivated us all. His set seemed to fly by.
Josh was there to promote his latest album, The Beginning and the End of Everything, an intimate recording which suited this setting perfectly. Apparently last time he had the full band in tow, but this time it was just Josh, an acoustic guitar, and looping machines to add some extra depth. This is an added dimension I’d never seen from Josh, and it was fascinated watching him at work. He treated us to choice cuts from his new album, but carefully balanced them with old favourites. It was wonderful to have Jack back on stage for a fabulously fun rendition of “Make You Happy.” Josh’s beautiful version of “Blackbird” made me wish I’d invested in tickets to that White Album concert.
I’ve seen Josh perform a few times now, and he never fails to disappoint. In fact, I think he might be getting even better.
Image source: own photos