It was an unseasonably cold night in Melbourne's bayside suburb of St. Kilda, but a couple of thousand patrons braved the rain to check out former Roxy Music front man Bryan Ferry and bluesy folkist Joan Armatrading at the beautiful Palais Theatre.
Joan Armatrading's voice is still spectacular, as she powered through a bluesy set with some of her better known tracks thrown in at the end for good measure.Her combination with Ferry was great, with both performers delivering what their fans wanted without stepping on each other's toes.
It was, however, Ferry who I was there to see. It was Ferry who I grew up listening to and who pointed me away from mainstream pop and rock and into a whole new world of music. It was Ferry who through songs like 'Love Is The Drug', 'Virginia Plain' and 'The "In" Crowd' (all of which were played last night) took a creative spin on pop music and hurled it to the masses.
That's not to say he did it alone, as half of his set suggested, much of his artfulness was helped along with his original band Roxy Music (which early on featured a young Brian Eno).
Last night, however, the show mixed quirky Roxy and Ferry songs with some of his ballads, influenced by early jazz and pop singers such as 'Slave To Love' and a cover of John Lennon's 'Jealous Guy' (performed by Roxy Music as a last minute addition to a set in 1980 when they heard Lennon was shot, then released as their biggest single).
The songs of Bob Dylan made a significant appearance last night (although not as significant as some other shows). It was here that Ferry really let himself down.
When 'Dylanesque', his latest album - a tribute to Bob Dylan - was released, it was difficult to see why and with each Dylan song thrown in last night ('Knockin' On Heaven's Door', 'All Along The Watchtower') the question "Why?" popped up again.
Despite some tacky moments that were reminiscent of an old has-been singing covers to anyone who will listen, there were enough fun, classic and beautiful moments to make it an all round good show.
The set list for Bryan Ferry at the Palais Theatre, Melbourne on November 21, 2007 was:
The "In" Crowd (From 'Another Time/Another Place' 1974 - Ferry solo)
Kiss & Tell (from 'Bête Noire' - 1987 - Ferry solo)
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (from 'Dylanesque' - 2007 - Ferry solo)
Positively Fourth Street (from 'Dylanesque' - 2007 - Ferry solo)
Knocking On Heaven's Door (from 'Dylanesque' - 2007 - Ferry solo)
Chance Meeting (from 'Roxy Music' - 1972 - Roxy Music)
Slave To Love (from 'Boys and Girls' - 1985 - Ferry solo)
Don't Stop The Dance (from 'Boys and Girls' - 1985 - Ferry solo)
Jealous Guy (from 'The High Road EP' - 1983 - Roxy Music)
Body and Soul (instrumental)
Remake/Remodel (from 'Roxy Music' - 1972 - Roxy Music)
When She Walks In The Room (from 'The Bride Stripped Bare' - 1978 - Ferry solo)
A Fool For Love (from 'Frantic' - 2002 - Ferry solo)
All Along The Watchtower (from 'Dylanesque' - 2007 - Ferry solo)
Virginia Plain (from Roxy Music - 1972 - Roxy Music)
Love Is The Drug (from 'Siren' - 1975 - Roxy Music)
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Let's Stick Together (from 'Let's Stick Together' - 1976 - Ferry solo)
Both Ends Burning (from 'Siren' - 1975 - Roxy Music)
