As pink clouds washed through the dimmed sky above the University of Canberra, a flood of denim shorts, linen shirts and flowy skirts began to trail into the concourse.
On Friday the 21st of March, for the first time in six years, Australian singer-songwriter Ziggy Alberts returned to Canberra, exactly one month after the release of his new album New Love.
This Canberra show was a part of his regional Australia tour, before he heads overseas in May to start his world tour.
The calm before the chords …
On my arrival to the university, I decided to grab a quick drink at the UCBarX. The lively atmosphere was complemented by the familiar folk music in the background. They clearly knew their audience that night and had Ziggy’s songs playing through the speakers.
After a short wait in the queue, the doors of the refectory opened at 7:00 P.M. and the crowd slowly trailed in. I, however, immediately made my way to the merchandise stand.
An array of merchandise was available for purchase, from t-shirts to tote bags as well as postcards and signed vinyl’s. The average cost of a shirt being $55 and accessories ranging from a $15 keyring to a $60 beach towel.
I walked away with a ‘New Love’ navy blue shirt, and I can confirm it is incredibly comfortable and well-worth the price!
The Refectory was split into two sections, an all-ages area and an +18 bar. The bar sold a plethora of drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic and also provided some snacks to purchase.
To my surprise, there was a large age range throughout the audience. A lot of younger children were eagerly standing on the barricade, accompanied by their excited parents. But there were also a lot of older adults who were bopping to the music the whole night. Ziggy’s music is able to captivate the hearts of all ages.
New Love: Live
Azure Ryder and her guitar took the stage at 7:30pm as the show’s opening act. Azure is an Australian indie-pop singer/song-writer whose music is very similar to Ziggy’s as it focuses on the idea of love and connection.
It was Azure’s 2nd time ever playing in Canberra.
Following Azure’s opening, there was a short intermission and then at 8:30pm, Ziggy took the stage.
Starting with some classics from his discography, Days in the Sun and Hands I Can Hold, Ziggy immediately captivated the audience. Following this, his setlist mixed between older loved classics and songs from his new album.
With the Refectory being quite a small and intimate venue, the perfect atmosphere was created for Ziggy to exude his natural charm and vibrant energy. This created an instant and effortless connection between him and the audience.
During the show, Ziggy explained that he grew up on the road and started his career touring regionally, so it felt great to be back doing what he started with.
He also said that his first ever show in Canberra was at The Woolshed, so the Refectory was an improvement!
Ziggy’s performance didn’t entirely rely on his singing ability. He was a one man show, switching between guitar, piano and playing the guitar like a drum! This kept the audience intrigued, and wondering what he would utilize next.
After six songs, Ziggy had disappeared from the stage, to only miraculously reappear in the middle of the crowd.
He stayed on the B-stage to perform three songs which built a very intimate feeling within the audience. He then asked the crowd to slightly part so he could continue the show on the main stage.
Ziggy wrapped up his show with his most acclaimed song Runaway. The setlist consisted of 17 songs with some of his spoken word poetry interweaved.
The setlist is available here:
After the applause
Leaving the refectory, I found myself experiencing a familiar feeling. The realisation that myself and the crowd of linen shirts, denim shorts and flowy dresses were all there because we share one thing in common; we love the music.
As Azure Ryder said during her opening set:
“I find concerts are one of the only places where humans can come and just be human.”
From Canberra, Ziggy continues touring through regional Australia until May where he heads overseas to start his New Love: World Tour.
Listen here to Ziggy Albert’s new album New Love: