Live Review: Leo Sayer Still Feels Like Dancing in Perth 2025
Friday 12 September, 2025 “Still Feel Like Dancing?” Tour at the Astor Theatre, Perth
Review by Angela Frodsham
Photography by Erica Lorimer Photographer
Leo Sayer, the irrepressible curly-haired ’70s superstar, is more than an exuberant showman. A singer-songwriter of complexity and depth, last night Leo gave fans a musical journey at Perth’s Astor Theatre, bursting with beloved, iconic hits from a remarkable lifetime of work. A wonderful bonus was that Leo gave so much of himself in “a very real show”, always interacting with his audience with stories and jokes flowing effortlessly, and we got to know him as a person. Packing the clout to emblazon the stage with only his first name, his unfettered enthusiasm and natural humour were totally infectious for the nostalgic, mostly older audience.
Born Gerard Hugh Sayer in Shoreham-by-Sea near Brighton in Sussex, England in 1948, gifts for writing poetry and artistic design combined with a love of music and singing (including as a choir boy) gave us a uniquely creative entertainer. Fulfilling an ambition in 2009 to leave England and become an Australian citizen, Leo has embraced life in the Sussex-like New South Wales Highlands, where he created recent albums Selfie (2019),Northern Songs (2022) and 1992 (2024) in his customised home studio. Leo doesn’t rest on past laurels, he is always forging new musical directions and believes he still has much ahead. Hugely successful recent tours of the United Kingdom and the reception he has received on his current Still Feeling Like Dancing Australian tour proves his fans agree.
Dressed in casual jeans, shirt and a waistcoat, Leo was constantly engaging and immensely likable. No support act was needed, with Leo jokingly suggesting he himself was the opener as a lookalike comedian. Constantly moving as he performed and using his hands and face to tell musical stories, Leo chose to open the night with a haunting ballad of urban loneliness and despair in “Bedsitter Land”, showing straight up he has the same strong, expressive and nimble voice we all remember. Warming to a theme of emotional vulnerability and bringing out his beloved mouth organ, “Giving It All Away” followed, co-written in 1973 with Leo’s early creative partner David Courtney and recorded by Roger Daltrey of The Who for his first solo album. Leo said that as long as he can stand in front of an audience with his best mates behind him (the band) he is happy. Indeed, Leo’s Band were a joy to behold, introduced as Bill Risby on keyboards, guitarist Paul Berton (“stolen” from René Geyer), Adrian Violi on drums, Mitch Cairns on Bass, Liz Violi (sister of Adrian) and Olivia Nathan on backup.
“Endless Flight” then took us soaring on Leo’s amazing voice to a more pop optimistic plane with the Andrew Gold song (who Leo revealed is afraid to fly) and title track from Leo’s 1976 international blockbuster fourth album. Recorded in Los Angeles at the peak of his career aged only 28, Endless Flight gave him two consecutive US number ones, going platinum in England and the United States. Leo turned up the fun notch by having the track morph into a reggae beat, before fast forwarding to his 1980 cover of Buddy Holly’s backing group the Crickets “More Than I Can Say”, his Australian number one and an old favourite the fans lap up. “Train” is another of Leo’s nostalgic tracks from his second album Just A Boy, humorously pretending to forget the end. 1978’s “Stormy Weather” followed from his self-titled album Leo Sayer for which, like Endless Flight, Leo’s American producer assembled the very best of US session musicians. These included Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nick’s guitarist and “Edge of Seventeen” riff player), Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel, all of whom played for Jackson Browne, who performed in Leo’s cover of Browne’s track “Something Fine”. Such is Leo’s pedigree as one of the very best.
Leo treated the audience to the complete story behind his evergreen hit “Moonlighting”, revealing the groom to be Dave as a roadie of Leo’s and the loved up couple never actually made it to Gretna Green, and that it was actually just a “big f*****g lie”. Caroline’s Police Chief father had apparently put an end to their elopement nine miles out of Scotland.
Cutting back to another track recorded by Daltrey and then Leo in 1975, “One Man Band” was one of his biggest hits. Although Leo’s original outputs have proven huge hits, so have covers such as his version of Buddy Holly’s evocative 1958 “Raining in My Heart”, and the track was a chance for Leo on mouth organ to jam with Paul Berton, and for Paul and Bill Risby on guitar and keyboards to strut their stuff solo. Another cover followed, the romantic ballad Leo recorded in 1977 about the pain of being away from home and loved ones. “When I Need You” from the Endless Flight album was a huge worldwide hit and number one in the UK and the US, famously performed by Leo on the Muppet Show.
Leo and his Band then took a well-earned intermission break, bouncing back onto stage dressed in glam black to treat us to the upbeat “Thunder in My Heart”, written and recorded by Leo with a suitably 1977 disco sound. Performed against a continual montage of photos and news stories chronicling Leo’s long career, the track tells of being lovestruck after meeting someone only an hour before. Roaring back as a number one UK hit in 2006 when DJ Meck turned the track into a dance hit “Thunder in My Heart Again” with Leo’s blessing, apparently DJs like Fatboy Slim started playing the track unaware it was a Leo Sayer song.
Then came the beautiful “Dancing the Night Away”, this review writer’s personal favourite which has long graced their ‘favourites’ playlist. A cover of a song by the Amazing Rhythm Aces, Leo’s emotional rendition never gets old, for its sentiments of younger days and lost love brought back bittersweet memories for many. Leo then said he was going to take us to a place called “Orchard Road”, one of his most loved singles dating to 1983. “Bells of St Mary’s” is another song of great character which tells of his earlier life singing in folk clubs before hitting the big time. Leo, who described himself as a “tiny kid out of art school with a loud voice” said the sound of the church bells has always “grounded him” no matter where he was.
“Have You Ever Been in Love” was another cover proving a huge hit for Leo, and this writer still has the 45 single played many times during angsty mid-teenage years. Written in a jam session in America, “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” was Leo’s first of two consecutive US number ones, winning a Grammy award for best Rhythm and Blues song. It was also the track that got much of the crowd near the stage surging forward and getting up and dancing, with Leo’s two fabulous backup singers doing a great job encouraging everyone to join in the exuberance on stage. “Long Tall Glasses” kept things upbeat, written in the studio about Leo’s reaction to his success in America, which morphed into another worldwide hit with “How Much Love”.
Leo clearly had much more in the tank and the songbook, but he thanked the audience and disappeared from the stage. Fans were having none of that, and amidst very loud calling, stomping and “c’mon Leo” shouts, Leo returned for an encore, quipping “oh, you are still here?!” The very apt “the Show Must Go On” complete with a banjo dating from Leo’s 1973 debut solo album Silverbird followed, but without the Pierrot clown costume Leo was associated with for this track. Then came 1978’s well loved “Can’t Stop Loving You”, a cover of a song by Billy Nichols and a track Leo chose last night to deliver in a delicate, quiet style. This ballad gently brought his audience back to the ground to end a terrific show.
The audience were left marveling at the sheer number of Leo’s hits and their variety across genre and subject. How someone seemingly so carefree gives us music telling of both emotional struggle and great joy shows his versatility as a born entertainer. It is no wonder Australia has always loved Leo, a down to earth performer who effortlessly charms his audiences. Bravo and thanks Leo and Band, you gave us a rollercoaster night that left us buzzing and not only still wanting to dance, but still smiling that this world has Leo Sayer!
Sheldon Ang’s Corner
Wow, what a voice. Tonight, I was immersed in Leo Sayer live for the first time. “I’m 77, and I’m still going,” said Leo. Thanks to my subconscious reflection, I had a preconceived assumption that perhaps his vocals would have been worn out after 60 years in the business – after all, like the hands that sweep the clock of life, wear and tear is inevitable. But just like Novak Djokovic of the music world, Leo’s live vocals would still annihilate the range and clarity of most professional singers one third his age; it was hypersonically great – like a lead singer of a Swedish symphonic metal band kind of great. Leo Sayer still peaks in vocal extremity, echoing in the tenor category, fusing the high falsetto range with emotional delivery, sparking the wonderment of nostalgia like peeking back in time through a kaleidoscope. As for me, it was More Than I Can Say that I heard playing in my grandmother’s family home in the Bandar Hilir kampung (village) in Melaka 45 years ago. When it rains, it pours.
Oh yes – “Free F*cking Palestine” – Leo Sayer, September 12 at the Astor Theatre Perth – ok, he’s officially a living legend!
Leo Sayer will keep dancing across Australia. Tickets are available from Shows – Leo Sayer – although it is pretty much sold out…
Leo Sayer Playlist:
Bedsitter Land – Another Year (1975)
Giving It All Away – Just a Boy (1974)
Endless Flight (cover of Andrew Gold) – Endless Flight (1976)
More Than I Can Say (cover of Crickets) – Living In a Fantasy (1980)
Train – Just a Boy (1974)
Stormy Weather – Leo Sayer (1978)
Moonlighting – Another Year (1975)
One Man Band – Just a Boy (1974)
Raining in My Heart (cover of Buddy Holly) – Leo Sayer (1978)
When I Need You (Albert Hammond cover) – Endless Flight (1976)
Thunder in My Heart – Thunder In My Heart (1977)
Dancing the Night Away (cover of the Amazing Rhythm Aces) – Leo Sayer (1978)
Orchard Road – Have You Ever Been in Love (1983)
Bells of St Mary’s – Just a Boy (1974)
Have You Ever Been in Love – Have You Ever Been In Love (1983)
You Make Me Feel Like Dancing – Endless Flight (1976)
Long Tall Glasses – Just a Boy (1974)
How Much Love – Endless Flight (1976)
The Show Must Go On – Silverbird (1973)
Can’t Stop Loving You – Leo Sayer (1978)
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Mark Sydow Management, Silhouette Sound and Leo Sayer for the media accreditation
About the Writer: Angela Frodsham is a music lover who has enjoyed live concerts with her sister Erica and friends since the early 1980’s, including raving in the pit during The Angels performances at Perth Entertainment Centre in 1981. A career in Government economic development and transport policy followed a Bachelor of Economics majoring in the Japanese language. More recently, Angela’s love of writing and history has led her back to UWA, graduating with her son in Classics and Ancient History, including Latin and ancient Greek.
About the Photographer: Erica Lorimer is a freelance photographer who loves capturing images of live music and travel photography. She enjoys shooting film with vintage cameras and making prints in a home darkroom. She has lived in Japan, the UK and Nigeria. Erica holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Western Australia (UWA), majoring in English Literature and Economics, and a Certificate IV in Design.
About Sheldon Ang Media: Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) has been accredited to more than 200 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), Backstreet Boys, KISS, Iron Maiden, RHCP, P!NK etc with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, Roxette, UB40, Delta Goodrem and Tina Arena on social media. He has interviewed rockers Suzi Quatro, Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS), plus over 70 artists. He’s also a contributor on Triple M Radio as a music journalist.
