We went to the Sia show last night at Variety Playhouse. Poor Nick has a mild stomach flu bug, but he soldiered on. The show ended up selling out – I’m glad I picked up the tix the other day!
So, if you looked at Sia’s website (which you will do now if you didn’t…), you’ll get a good idea of the nature of this cute little pixie from Oz. Ms Sia Furler is from Adelaide Australia (the Aussie equivalent to Northern CA) and quite the sweet goofy girl. She chats a lot throughout her show and is so sweet about playing songs and making shout outs for the fans who ask via her message board. Her show merchandise was in the same style as the site – cute! The first song was her current single, Buttons. The band came out in blacklight reactive costumes that looked like the stick figures you see on her site – again, very creative and cute. She also had large blown glass with neon flowers all over the stage. The 4-8 ft tall flowers were VERY bright – sometimes too bright for my light blue eyes!
She played newer selections that I’m not familiar with, most likely from her new record, but she also did Destiny from Zero 7 – awesome! She didn’t go into any of the more downbeat songs from Healing is Difficult, which is where Drink to get Drunk is from, sadly. I really wanted to hear that song. But nevermind that, she did a startling version of Breathe Me that was intense. During the pause between intro and verse, you could have heard a pin drop in that venue. I’ve never in my life seen an audience so rapt. It was spine tingling.
Another thing that was startling about this show is Sia’s voice. It is nothing like what you hear on the records. NOTHING. That little pixie lays back and wails! It was spectacular! My one suggestion to her (which I’ll make on the message board that she reads daily) is to stop over engineering her voice for the records. Seriously. She has a voice akin to Melissa Etheridge or Ann Wilson as far as power. I had no idea! Others in the audience were amazed as well. She should let that raw power show a bit more in her recordings, I think.
The band was piano/keys dude, bass dude, acoustic/electric guitar dude and cello dude. The cello made the show, IMO. Have you ever seen a cello player rock? Now I have and it’s so very very cool. For the rendition of Breathe Me, that cello was integral. It was amazing the depth he brought to the songs. Kudos to Cello Dude.
She did one encore after an explanation of why she now does them – funny! – and then literally scampered off stage. It was so damn cute! I could just pinch her cute little cheeks! I’d really like to meet her, I just know she’s as sweet in person as she is onstage. She’s happy to be touring, happy to have her career back (thanks Six Feet Under on HBO!) and a total sweetheart. I look forward to her next tour.
After the show, roughly half the venue was outside surrounding Sia’s bus! I hope she’s used to that and doesn’t think Atlantans are weird! I think that this tour will definitely push her into stardom. When fans sense that kind of authenticity from a performer, they will move heaven and earth for her. I know I consider myself a full on Sia fan now – up from just a casual listener.
Thanks Sia and band for a truly excellent show. I’ve seen many, many shows in my life and this one is one of the best. THANK YOU.