Josh Pyke @ Bush Hall

7th April 2009

Hailing from the sunny shores of Sydney, Josh is currently touring his latest full length album Chimney’s Afire, released in September. The show tonight could not be at a more fitting venue - Bush Hall.  Just like the performer it houses this evening, it has an old world charm uncommon in these modern times - understated and familiar with an air of oh so endearing modesty.   

The audience is mainly Aussie’s come to grab a slice of home while paying tribute to one of our modern musical patron saints.  The remainder of the crowd are British and one assumes this contingent has been dragged along by their newly found Antipodean mates in a bid to prove that we too can muster something of artistic and cultural worth.  It’s almost like we’re the kids trying to show our colonialist parents that ‘Hey look Mum, look what we can do, all by ourselves.’ But we have nothing to worry about as Josh proceeds to represent.   

The set list couldn’t have been better planned.  Gracing the stage with nothing but his acoustic guitar, Josh opens with Memories & Dust then moves through to Lines on Palm -, both hits from his first album.  I am positive I can feel the sunshine and the sea breeze on my face – that which has abandoned me since coming to the mother land - this is the power of the Pyke!   

Next up we are introduced to the new album via Lighthouse Song. In true Josh Pyke style, it is a delicate tale of love against the elements.  The delicateness however, is balanced (some would say ruined but I’m trying to be objective here) by the chanting of the line ‘I’ll just hold you tight and will not let these f**kers in’, truly demonstrating the Australian love of being given the green light to chant curse words loudly in a public space.   

Josh then proceeds to move back and forth between his first full length release, Memories & Dust, as well as his latest, the aforementioned Chimney’s Afire – Sew My Name is followed by New Year Song, Make You Happy and Waste of Time. Some new material then makes an appearance with the single-worthy Good Head Start.  This is accompanied by jovial copyright warnings from Josh, proving that his articulate and charming nature does not exist exclusively in his songs.    

The set ends with a couple more off the new album. That Summer reminds us all of the fluid and fleeting nature of time while recalling memories of salty winds and seemingly simpler times.  This is followed by Variations whichreminds us of the similarities within ourselves, uniting us as one. 

At this point Josh announces the end of the show but ensures us there will be an encore before there is a chance for a mad panic to ensue. He returns to the stage to play one last number from the new album in the form of Our House Breathing. At this point it’s a given that home favourite Middle of the Hill is going to be the piece de résistance but there is still room for one more track. It is a credit to Pyke as a songwriter that, even though he has already played so many ‘hits’ off his two and a half CD back catalogue, there are still so many songs I want to here.     

But I am not disappointed when Vibrations in Air starts, a track which was not appreciated fully on its initial release back home.  As its final notes fade out, we all know what’s coming.  Middle of the Hill sees ninety nine percent of attendees chanting every lyric.  And as much as we’ve been transported back to memories of summer heat, red skies and cool concrete, we’re also reminded not to get too nostalgic. We, like Josh, know it’s too easy not to pay enough attention to the good things when we’ve got them. And so, for this evening, we live in the now and we thank Mr Pyke for this wise reminder as well as a technically sound and sentimentally pleasing show. 

Lee Hutchison