After the horrible weather we’ve had of late, an outside concert was not at the top of my list. However, Saturday’s By The Water event was the perfect way to experience amazing performances from Dan Sultan and Thelma Plum at the National Museum of Australia’s outdoor amphitheatre.
As the sun descended behind the Brindabellas, we set created a picnic with food from Miss Vans, The One and Chasing Mrs Morris, who had set up stalls for the night. The gentle slope down to the lake quickly filled with Canberrans eagerly awaiting the start of the sold-out concert. Perched up on the rock wall, we cheered as Thelma Plum hit the stage to start the concert.
Thelma’s hypnotic lyrics and melodies captivated the audience and proved the perfect accompaniment to the beautiful Lake Burley Griffin as the sun set. Members of the crowd got up to dance on stage with Plum as she performed How Much Does Love Cost? from her 2014 EP, Monsters.
As Thelma Plum’s set came to an end the audience roared in excitement for the headline act, Dan Sultan. The tone of the performance was changed as Sultan’s blend of big-band rock-n’-roll hit the stage. Transformed into Sultan’s world of soul, guitar riffs and husky vocals, we were delighted by a performance of hits from his most recent album Blackbird.
Sultan won over the crowd with his showmanship and typical Australian wit. He announced that he was working on a new album in the near future but as the crowd cheered, he quipped, “Don’t get too excited… You haven’t heard it yet.”
The night gathered and the wind chill grew, we briefly huddled together. Despite the cooling air, Sultan upped the energy, and our foot stomping, dancing and singing kept us warm, especially when he broke out into Rattlesnake.
Finally, Dan announced that he would perform an encore to keep the night going, but we had to promise not to make him walk all the way off and back on again.
The By the Water concert featuring Dan Sultan and Thelma Plum was definitely worth all the hype and I look forward to attending the next amphitheatre performance at the National Museum of Australia.
