Richard Marx Live 2023

Twin Towns NSW Feb 26. 2023

It’s becoming much more a regular thing for the Twin Towns showroom to be sold out. The dark authoritarian cloud of the last couple of years has drifted off. At the beginning, frankly speaking, people were celebrating that fact as much as any good entertainment that came to our state. Sort of like a pleasant desperation to get out of the house. Therefore, any half-talented onstage people were winners by default. 

We’ve moved on from that. Patrons are more selective as the international options get wider. 

Can confirm the Twin Towns show was 100% sold out so the empty seat was a no show.

Unknown to us was a Support Act. At first, the audience were awkwardly unsure whether this hairy hippie and his acoustic guitar had wandered into wrong section of Twin Towns with his half dozen classy, but wistful tunes. 

A pretty cunning stunt by Richard. This was an artist in his own right – ‘Dandelion Head’. As an LA / Melbourne based self-effacing musician, J. Blynn has new releases coming out. 

He bade farewell and re-emerged minutes later as THE guitarist for Richard. Armed with a red Fender Stratocaster he, throughout the remainder of the night, blew us away with lead breaks, backing rhythms and sneaky chops that left us going “holy hell!”. 

Richard, it must be said, is unique in the business. He actively allows his musos to shine. He is familiar with fame, with entertaining, and with the joy of seeing his songs delivered by other artists. He’s not “needy” for center lights always on himself. Audiences are much brighter than some artists give them credit. They can pick the players’ vibes going on, onstage. 

Marx loves Australia. It just shows. Loves the people, the humour and the transparency – the absence of class status. He loves Farnsey and loved Olivia. We raised a toast to both – a couple of thousand fans was altogether quite moving. Jackie Barnes on his Tama drums nailed the whole aussie feel too, along with Whynot Jansveld a hugely smooth Bass player. 

In essence, this is why Sunday night was an outrageous hit. Richard was “as one” with his people. (That would be us.) He still adores his lyrical creations we ourselves loved when we first heard them. Works he wrote for himself and others. Acutely aware of the hated universal phrase “…here’s one from my new album”, he persevered with a couple of them from the aptly titled ‘Songwriter’ – and for once in my life, the instant appeal of ‘Same Heartbreak, Different Day’ showed me why it’s dangerous to write off new material. 

Standouts from the night are too many and subjective to list, so let’s take a couple of these chart busters as an example. “Angelia” (Repeat Offender 1989), “Should’ve known better” out of ’87. And one he wrote with Keith Urban “Long Hot Summer” (2011) – it was a monster No#1 hit on the U. S. Billboard Hot Country Songs. 

I felt desperately sad for that lost and lonely unused seat in the mid-section of Twin Towns. It was “Right Here Waiting for You”. 

www.twintowns.com.au 

www.poprepublic.tv. |. POP’s Instagram 

www.101fm.com.au 

Reviewed by 101FM Radio Presenter Stu Robertson 

Photography by Michelle Cop (MC Photography)