Live Review: Amy Shark Attacks The Sadness Tour 2024 in Perth
2nd of November 2024 at Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth Western Australia
Review by Sheldon Ang
Photography by Praia Photography
The final episode of The Sadness Tour may sound like a whiney gathering of broken souls, drowned in melancholy and infinite sadness. After all, the concoction served tonight is a combination of tracks from album with titles of lugubrious personifications. The stories within Sunday Sadness – an album released this year and Cry Forever of 2021, however do not necessarily reflect the present stories of Amy Shark.
“When I write a song, sometimes it’s not exactly where I am at in my life, is like a little bit of the past…so is kinda 50 50. I guess it takes a while for me to articulate the feelings and events and people and all those things that happened. So it takes a while for me to work out how to say in songs.” Amy explains to the Perth crowd.
Great music manifests from the immersive experience in the matrix of love, tragedy, heartbreak, and happines. Tonight, we are propelled into the autobiographical journey of Amy Shark. It’s a worthy gallery of musical chapters; curated by an eight-time ARIA award-winning artist from twenty-nine nominations. She’s indeed an Australian icon at 38 years young.
The baby sharkies are out in force tonight, underlining the next generation of fans. Maurauding adult fans are also lurking around the stage on the deck and spreading across the quaint Kings Park and Botanic Garden, sitting high above the Perth skyline.
Soon the stage spills into darkness, the chatter explodes into a rambunctious roar as silhouettes of her musicians step onto the stage, followed by Amy taking centre stage, dressed in white underneath the famous Adidas jumper.
Shark sparks her night with Two Friends, Only Wanna Be With You and Can I Shower at Your Place, commencing the first two songs with an acoustic guitar, propagating the singer-songwriter vibe as she stands centre stage.
It doesn’t take long for the ARIA winner to turn to a great white version with the smash hit Everybody Rise – which surprisingly made an early appearance. But the depth of her discography will ensure fans are entertained throughout the night. She then casts her jumper, revealing the all-white dress that screams cuteness. Her animation on stage matches the anthemic, uplifting track especially in the hooks and chorus as she jumps and punches the air, pushing her voice to the limits of emotion and euphoria, propagating the atmosphere to an unbridled chapter of rebellion.
Welcome to The Sadness Tour.
From the highs, she playfully extols her recognition within the industry. ”This next song I wrote it with Ed Sheeran…had dinner with him and his wife – wasn’t a big deal at all, and this song actually features a country music icon by the name of Keith Urban. Keith and I talked all the time, it’s pretty wild. And this guitar is actually a gift from Russel Crowe.”
Fans toast to the singer before the heavens open at the first line “Caught in the Moment” of the track Love Songs Ain’t For Us – adding another layer of poignancy to the delicate and heartfelt sincerity personified from her vocals. She stands behind the guitar in a beautiful acoustic performance, delivering a masterclass of emotional duality.
Beautiful Eyes and Baby also resonate with the soul-searching elements, embedded deep within balladry chapters – “This is one of those songs that combines the past and current events”. Amy once described the former track as her favorite song she’s ever written. The heartfelt and introspective projection sweeps across the garden, with fans waving their hands above in solidarity.
Then the drizzle takes a break.
And like a typical Amy Shark’s set, the night makes a 180 turn and explodes again in I Adore You. Signs of WE ADORE YOU are held over the canopy of heads at the front deck. “Oh my god…” as the ferocious Shark’s voice trembles while she sings. “Stop making me cry.” The sentiment is genuine as she wipes her face while slithering across the stage, and occasionally eliciting an ironic smile to mask her tears. Afterall tonight ends The Sadness Tour.
The commercial hits keep coming with another culmination at I Said Hi at the encore. She darts across the stage, walking like a rapper and rockstar and even kicking her roadie, as she creams “Give it to me Perth” while singing the Song of the Year at the APRA Music Awards in 2019, before ending the night with Mess Her Up…
Tonight, the fans held tightly onto the fin of Amy Shark while she takes us to a journey of her past and present in a showcase of emotional duality. From the two Amy Shark tours we’ve covered – the first being The Cry Forever Tour of 2022, there’s no doubt the Gold Coast singer is one of the best live performers in Australia. Her songs are catchy, with plenty of hooks that are made for the arenas and field of dreams that resonate with her persona, triggering the I love you Amy from the fans and the sing-alongs among the thousands.
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Valerie McIver Public Relations, Live Nation Australia, Mellen Events, and Amy Shark for the media accreditation.
About the Writer: The founder of Perth-based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) has been accredited to photograph and review more than 120 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), Backstreet Boys, KISS, Iron Maiden, RHCP, P!NK and Robbie Williams with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, UB40, Delta Goodrem, The Wiggles and Toni Childs on social media. He has interviewed rockers Ian Moss, Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) plus over 60 artists. He’s also a contributor on Triple M Radio as a music journalist.
About the Photographer – Lee Garces (PRAIA Photography) is a local lifestyle and events photographer based in Rockingham with a great appreciation of Australian music. Recently, she held a photo gallery in Fremantle featuring her hometown Madeira Island in Portugal, raising $2500 for VisAbility WA. Keep an eye out as she endeavours to continue to capture more of our homemade talent, right here in Perth!
