Live Review: Synthony No 5 with Sarah-Grace Williams and Perth Symphony Orchestra
Synthony 19 September 2025 at the RAC Arena Perth Australia
By Sheldon Ang
The conductor weaves her baton like a maestro in the ancient art of visceral expression, and like performers in a pantomime, the ensemble obeys the flex from her enigmatic energy. The bows of violins and cellos rise and fall in gentle rhythm, hypnotic and at times beautifully erratic, as she cast a sonic spell on the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and keyboard. The sweet sound of the symphony is then punctuated by the powerhouse vocals and his self-appointed backups.
Over five thousand punters cast their voices from a sea of inferno, while the translucent light sweeps across the biggest sing-along of the southern hemisphere. Hands in the air, waving side to side, looking like the vast plain of a prairie field on a windy day.
The singer stands imperiously in a cruciform pose under the limelight, arms outstretched like the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking Rio, but this is no Brazil. This is Perth – the most isolated city in the world. The crowd is lured into the chorus for the second time, but on this occasion with more conviction.
You…Your sex is on fire…
With the sonic catalyse of Perth Symphony Orchestra orchestrated by the impeccable maestro Sarah-Grace Williams, nothing is going to stop this healing. The sweet sound of symphony is angelical, but tonight’s sonic fusion is another beast altogether.
Welcome to Synthony Mk 5 of 2025 in Perth.
For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, Synthony, established in New Zealand in 2017, is a fusion of classical sounds and modern EDM – all live in full view, orchestrating the likes of house and dance favourites by Sash, Avicii, Swedish House Mafia and Darude, while a number of vocalists on rotation take the mic.
It was a dance festival, as the night began with three support acts – DJ Packer, Yolanda Be Cool and Shapeshifter (DJ and vocals). The floor and the stands started to fill as the night progressed, and by the time the NZ duo hit the stage, the crowd were pouncing to every beat.
At 9:30 pm, the 60-piece orchestra waltzed onto the stage, sparking with Strauss’s Sunrise. It was angelic, poised, as Sarah-Grace Williams wove her baton under the blue, stormy ambiance. A hush falls over the arena as the orchestra plays with tender precision under her spell, slicing a tranquil soundscape. Photographing from the stage, I had a full view of her countenance, capturing every subtle shift in her expression. I felt her breathing, exhaling the pulse to her fingertips and taking charge of her baton, transferring her musical spirit to the Perth Symphony Orchestra across the strings, brass, woodwinds, and with the occasional gentle thunder of the percussion. We were immersed in the grandeur of the overall sight and sound; the music was luminous and expansive, capturing the awe of a new beginning, the dawn of an era – a Sunrise. It also featured in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 Odyssey. The music faded, signaled by the raised bows, which pointed upwards.
It was the calm before the storm.
Lighting flashed…and thundering onto the stage was singer Emily Williams (Australian Idol, Young Divas), taking on Destination Calabria. It was a massive spark to the night. Like a fox behind the back of a ute, she zapped across the stage, setting the benchmark of a fast-paced tempo. The stage became a dance, and the arena transformed into the biggest nightclub in Perth, catalysed by the visual and lighting spectacle that is part of the drawcard. She was then followed by global performer Cassie McIver (The Voice) covering Murder on the Dance Floor. It was another vocal powerhouse performance, bombarding with the infectious chorus while pacing across the stage, with the hem of her outfit playing catch-up. Bob Sinclair’s World Hold On covered by Greg Gould (Australia Got Talent), was spectacularly done. Donned in sparkles like the globe of the discotheque of Saturday Night Fever, he was dazzling in many ways.
The trio set the benchmark with a hat trick of hits through these world-class vocalists, each carrying the energy that matched the Synthony brand. They rotated for a few more songs. The animation and vocal propagation were pounding and compounding, but it wouldn’t be Synthony without the sax, with Matty O taking position. The crunching face while propelling air from his biological windpipe was a testimony to his passion for his craft. He was a feature.
Despite the vocal personification and the exuberant stage presence, eyes were mainly on Sarah-Grace Wiliams (her back anyway) and The Perth Symphony Orchestra. Donned in a white jacket, black pants and sneakers, Sarah-Grace owned the stage and the entire arena with her fun-filled charm, sometimes quirky, with precision. It was as if, at any moment, Sarah would burst onto the floor and dance. It was tempting, given the surrounding revelry. She did sneak on occasions, jumping with Emily Williams and a boot scooting in circles with Ilan Kidron (frontman of Potbelleez), who (of course) sang Don’t Hold Back and Sex on Fire thanks to his stratospheric vocal range. For some reason, I feel like buying a Jeep now.
The Perth Symphony Orchestra was hypnotic. Perhaps it was the rise and fall of the bows – led by Concert Master Pascal Whiting, that were hypnotically fluid with military grade synchronicity…or perhaps that each section projected a visceral personification, the tapestry of sound creating its own colour, like the parts of complex machine serving its own unique purpose, culminating in an overall effect that oozes a living living organism. It has a soul of its own.
There were also pure music, such as Sash!’s Ecuador, One by Swedish House Mafia, and Wake Me Up by Avicii. Those were far more than mere fillers between vocal sets- they were immersive experiences that transcended both sight and sound.
It was fitting that all eyes were on Sarah-Grace Williams and the Perth Symphony Orchestra at the conclusion of the night, with Darude’s Sandstorm. The night took off on another gear, culminating to another layer of ecstasy – without the drug. The floor and the stands erupted into a disco inferno, with those fast-paced arpeggios and rhythmic stabs, the supersaw or whatever it is called, is still playing in our heads the morning after.
This is SYNTONY – the Class of 2025. We can’t wait for 2026!
SYNTHONY will be performing in Brisbane and Sydney. Tickets are available from SYNTHONY
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Duco Events, Perth Symphony Orchestra and RAC Arena for the media accreditation.
About the writer/photographer: The founder of Perth-based 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 and Syntony 2022. SAM’s reviews have been shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, Roxette, Tina Arena, UB40, Delta Goodrem and Leo Sayer. 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.
