Melbourne's Paul Kelly Performs In Melbourne's Botanic Gardens For Melbourne's A Weekend In The Gardens - Noise11.com
Paul Kelly AWITG on Friday 17 November 2017. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Paul Kelly Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Melbourne’s Paul Kelly Performs In Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens For Melbourne’s A Weekend In The Gardens

by Paul Cashmere on November 21, 2017

in News

Paul Kelly at A Weekend In The Gardens was special. The opportunity to watch Melbourne’s most treasured songwriter in one of Melbourne’s most iconic places, the Botanic Gardens, was a rare treat.

Given that this is Melbourne Music Week, the Kelly show was even more relevant.

To watch a Paul Kelly show is to witness the very fabric of Australian culture. Kelly has not only contributed so much to Australian music, he is still contributing. This year is latest album ‘Life Is Fine’ became his first ever number one album.

‘Life is Fine’ isn’t a better album than his previous releases but it stands up with the best. A lot of this current tour is showcasing the current album and to do that, instead of replacing songs, Kelly has simply extended his set. Kelly’s set at A Weekend In The Gardens clocked in at over two hours with 30 songs.

With 10 songs from ‘Life is Fine’ and 23 albums to his credit, do the maths, even at this rate he cannot cover everything but it doesn’t matter. Kelly is like Neil Young or Bob Dylan, the sound of the show is more important than any individual song.

Kelly’s band is the best of the best. The often understated Dan Kelly, Paul’s nephew, generates the energy for the band while Australia’s two most perfect voices Vika and Linda Bull drive the soul. When Vika takes lead for ‘My Man’s Got A Cold’ everyone is the audience stopped, stared and listened.

Paul Kelly is a loose canon when it comes to style. You never know what you will get from album to album but that doesn’t stop him dabbling. His Shakespeare inspired ‘Sonnet 18’ flowed easily near ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’.

Kelly has had his fair share of Top 40 hits because once upon a time talent actually made the Top 40 (buts that’s another story).

Kelly headlined the first of three ‘A Weekend In The Gardens’ shows in Melbourne’s picturesque Royal Botanical Gardens. These events were started by Mick and Anthea Newton, founders of A Day On The Green, in March this year.

This second instalment of ‘A Weekend In The Gardens’ was over three night and catered for three different audiences. Illy headlined night two and Missy Higgins night three.

Upcoming A Day On The Green shows include Bryan Adams, James Blunt, Robbie Williams and KC & The Sunshine Band with Sister Sledge, Village People and Marcia Hines.

Paul Kelly AWITG on Friday 17 November 2017. Photo by Ros O'Gorman Paul Kelly AWITG on Friday 17 November 2017. Photo by Ros O’Gorman

Paul Kelly setlist, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, 17 November 2017

Life is Fine (from Life is Fine, 2017)
Rising Moon (from Life is Fine, 2017)
Finally Something (from Life is Fine, 2017)
Before Too Long (from Gossip, 1986)
Our Sunshine (from Smoke, 1999)
Firewood and Candles (from Life is Fine, 2017)
My Man’s Got A Cold (from Life is Fine, 2017)
Careless (from So Much Water So Close To Home, 1989)
Letter In The Rain (from Life is Fine, 2017)
I Smell Trouble (from Life is Fine, 2017)
From Little Things Big Things Grow (from Comedy, 1991)
Petrichor (from Life is Fine, 2017)
Sonnet 18 (from Seven Sonnets and a Song, 2016)
Don’t Explain (from Live May 1992, 1992)
Love Never Runs on Time (from Wanted man, 1994)
To Her Door (from Under The Sun, 1987)
Josephina (from Life is Fine, 2017)
Leah The Sequel (from Life is Fine, 2017)
Deeper Water (from Deeper Water, 1995)
God Told Me To (from Stolen Apples, 2007)
Dumb Things (from Under The Sun, 1987)
Sweet Guy (from So Much Water So Close To Home, 1989)
How To Have Gravy (from Words and Music, 1998)
Hasn’t It Rained (from The Merri Soul Sessions, 2014)

From St Kilda To Kings Cross (from Post, 1985)
Look So Fine, Feel So Low (from Post, 1985)
Darling It Hurts (from Gossip, 1986)
Meet Me In the Middle Of The Air (from Foggy Highway, 2005)

Nobody’s Business
Stories Of Me (from Stories of Me, 2012)

Paul Kelly AWITG on Friday 17 November 2017. Photo by Ros O'Gorman Paul Kelly AWITG on Friday 17 November 2017. Photo by Ros O’Gorman

Noise11.com

Related Posts

Hoodoo Gurus Stoneage Romeos 40th anniversary edition
Hoodoo Gurus ‘Stoneage Romeos’ Turns 40

Hoodoo Gurus debut album ‘Stoneage Romeos’ turned 40 this month. The album was released in Australia in March 1984 and in the USA in September 1984.

1 day ago
10cc in Melbourne 25 June 2023 photo by Winston Robinson
Kevin Godley Reunites With 10cc In London

10cc had a special reunion at their London show this week when former member and co-founder Kevin Godley joined the band at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday night (25 March 2024).

2 days ago
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel To Release ‘Back To Front – Live In London’ DVD

Australia missed out on the Peter Gabriel tour but we will get the DVD.

2 days ago
Kylie Minogue photo by Ros O'Gorman
Kylie Minogue Heartbroken By Splendour In The Grass

Kylie Minogue has expressed sadness over an Australian music festival's cancellation.

2 days ago
Michael Jackson Thriller vinyl
Michael Jackson Jacket is Up For Auction

One of Michael Jackson’s personally owned “Thriller” jackets is being offered for sale at Gottahaverockandroll.com

2 days ago
Tim and Neil Finn I See Red rehearsals in LA 2004
Split Enz Fans, Watch The Finn Brothers Rehearse ‘I See Red’

Split Enz/Crowded House archivist Peter Green has offered up another rare fine, Tim and Neil Finn rehearsing their Split Enz classic ‘I See Red’ in Los Angeles in 2004.

2 days ago
Bruce Springsteen Named First International Ivors Fellow

Bruce Springsteen is set become the first international songwriter to become a Fellow of The Ivors Academy.

3 days ago