Live Review: Human Nature in Perth – 20 Years of Motown
MTWN20 Tour! – 5th of April 2025, RAC Arena, Perth, Western Australia
Review by Sheldon Ang
Photography by Sheldon Ang Photography
The first major live performance this Photographer/Writer witnessed was by Human Nature at the now-historic Perth Entertainment Centre in 1996. The quartet from Sydney took the stage as the opening act for Celine Dion. Later that year he saw them again at the Burswood Dome, where they were opening for Michael Jackson. The rest – as they say, is HIStory.
As these venues have worn away by the inexorable passage of time, Human Nature remain etched in his memory and of others. Over the decades, they have weaved into the United States, setting base camp in Las Vegas, celebrating the timeless hits of Motown for over a decade – or 3,000 performances as residence. They have cemented their legacy as one of Australia’s most sustainable musical exports (and let’s hope their Las Vegas patrons will be exempted from Tariff tax!).
Tonight, the MTWN20 Tour marks the 20th anniversary of their Motown venture through the recordings of Reach Out (2005), Dancing In The Street (2007), and Get Ready (2007). These three albums carve the renditions of the likes of The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Diana Ross, The Commodores, The Temptations, and of course, The Jackson 5, bringing their Las Vegas extravagance to our doorsteps in Perth, Australia.
But first, the Tierney Brothers graced the stage as the support act, giving fans a sneak preview of 50% of Human Nature. “Guys, the support act didn’t show up, so we are opening for Human Nature instead.” It was a joke. Micheal and Andrew Tierney performed the hits of their 2025 Album, Soundtrack of My Life. It was a guitar and keyboard performance, taking turns with the mic. It was during these moments when we first immersed in the falsetto and the beautiful harmonies of one half of Human Nature, performing the likes of The Story Isn’t Over, Soundtrack of My Life, and Lemonade – a catchy sing-along number, whereby halfway through, first-time listeners were singing along to the chorus – so they said.
At 8:20, I Want You Back by the Jackson 5 was blasted through the speakers – a cue that the main show was about to start. As the lights dimmed, four silhouettes stood high at the back of the stage, superimposed with the background M-O-T-O-W-N blazoned in fiery red. With a flick of the vocal switch and visual cue, we were transported to Las Vegas, sparking the night with Get Ready (The Temptations), Reach Out (I’ll Be There – The Four Tops) and You Can’t Hurry Love (The Supremes). The choreography was like a well-oiled machine in a tapestry of dance and vocal combination of spins and synchronised angled traction, a blend of classic Motown-inspired steps and modern flair, in cadence with their beautiful harmonies.
The fusion of their voice types is unique. The emotional qualities of Phil Burton, and the deep bass of Toby Allen, contrasting with the smooth falsetto of Andrew and Michael Tierney, is their recipe for three decades of success. The entwinement of their fluid dance choreography and vocals infused with joy is the epitome of showbiz – Las Vegas style. After all, tonight can be seen as the best of Motown. Many were tracks of our lives, such as My Girl (The Temptations), performed with 5000 fans. “I’m going to sing this along with you…’My girl,” said Phil. The 5,000 backup singers were divided into three sections: “Toby’s, Mike’s, Phil’s” as instructed by Andrew, lining their cue with their stage positions.
On occasions, the music was stripped back. The a cappella rendition of Midnight Train to Georgia was always going to be stunning, thanks to the harmonies.
No matter the levels of undulation, the full-piece band was brilliant which featured guitarist Carlos Guerrero from Las Vegas and the drummer Kingsley Oldmeadow from Perth. From sax to bass guitar, the spirit of Motown was soulfully and electrifyingly propagated, skillfully mixed by engineers.
There were moments of individual brilliance, such as I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Marvin Gaye), performed by Michael Tierney. The real-life story goes something like this – the head of Motown then, Berry Gordy, wanted Marvin to sing at a torturous higher falsetto in the E range to emphasise the pain and betrayal of the character. The struggle through Marvin Gaye feels real, and so does Michael’s rendition, pushing through an E flat minor of “With some other guy you knew before.” It was Gaye’s vocal performance in 1968 that engraved the Motown classic into history, and Michael’s phrasing and vocal delivery, infused with palpable sincerity, was on point in tonight’s performance.
There were poignant, heart-sobbing tracks of our lives. Andrew Tierney’s performance of Unchained Melody was heartfelt, culminating in a fusion of longing and love-struck performance of palpable sincerity. He hit the stratospheric highs, doing justice to the Righteous Brothers’ number. The emotion was also real in If You Don’t Know Me By Now (Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes), which tells the story of jealousy and trust. Toby Allen had his moment in Easy (The Commodores, and later by Faith No More) as part of the medley that went at full length for each track.
To the delight of this writer/photographer, Human Nature brought the show to the floor and their original 90s nostalgia to the tier section. The a cappella rendition of Wishes from their 1996 album “Telling Everybody” and He Don’t Love You brought the thunder, followed by the pouring nostalgic rain of our clubbing days. They made their way back to the floor with Eternal Flame (The Bangles).
The legendary Smokey Robinson appeared on the big screen, sending a message of support and gratitude, followed by words of emotional support with I’ll Be There (Jackson 5), as the Tierney Brothers leading the charge. The night continued with Stop! In The Name of Love (The Supremes), and by now the fans were on their feet, with encore Every Time You Cry (John Farnham), a dedication to their friend. Fans hijacked the chorus, singing with patriotic energy, before closing the curtains with Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (Marvin Gaye).
It’s surreal that Human Nature first released their debut album almost 30 years ago. Yet it feels like they’ve only just begun their journey, sparked from the dreams and imagination of four boys from Sydney, Australia who called themselves “The 4 Trax”.
As great as their award-winning studio recordings are – Human Nature’s MTWN20 Live belongs to a league of their own.
“I am really happy and proud that I got to introduce you to America and you’ve been spreading the Motown song all around the world to new generations and people, and I appreciate that so much. You guys are great, I want you guys keep having fun tonight and have a great time. I love you” – Smokey Robinson.
Human Nature continue with their MTWN 20 tour across Australia (Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sydney) before returning to Las Vegas. Tickets are available from TEG Live
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Flourish PR, TEG Live and Human Nature for the press accreditation.
About the Writer/Photographer: The founder of Perth-based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) has been accredited to more than 170 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), Backstreet Boys, KISS, Iron Maiden, RHCP, P!NK and of course The Script with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, UB40, Delta Goodrem, The Wiggles and Toni Childs on social media. He has interviewed rockers Suzi Quatro (pictured below), Ian Moss, 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.
