23 September 2025 – The Princess Theatre, Brisbane – words by Cecilia Pattison-Levi – pictures by Nino Lo Giudice
Sarah Blasko’s journey from New South Wales to Brisbane to deliver two intimate performances of her Double Feature Tour over the week has been met with widespread joy and two sold out venues from fans and music lovers: The Princess Theatre and The Tivoli. Sarah celebrated her birthday in style by delivering a cathartic autobiographical purge of songs that are through the lens of time more reflective, more personal and less veiled.
The audience that attended the Princess Theatre witnessed a unique celebration of one of Australia’s finest singer songwriters. Sarah Blasko took her audience on a deeply personal musical journey through her two seminal albums: The Overture & the Underscore and What the Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have.
She told the audience directly “I was brought up in a strict religious life. I was married at 21 years of age and divorced at 26. And I hadn’t found my voice or even how to live in the world. Reconnecting with these songs and albums from 15 years ago…it’s been odd, and I have been getting to know my younger self again”.
Sarah, throughout the night, was extraordinarily honesty, and so revealing, into the drivers behind her song writing. And, through her 24-song set, she took the audience on a trip back into her and our own younger lives. The songs she performed invited contemplation on where life was when those albums were released and where we are now. It was more of a recital, more than concert, as she kicked off performing 2002’s ‘The Overture & the Underscore’ that was played in track order and complete with the secret song. As Sarah declared during the night: “I am so glad others care about these albums” and the audience certainly did care as the dancing started in earnest around the sides of the venue by song three.
The evening started with a very dark set: the lighting was purples, blues with flashes of stripped white lights throwing darkness and shade across the audience and stage. And it was perfect as it reflected the light and dark in life as ‘All Coming Back’ commenced. It was the perfect song to take people back into the excitement of The Overture & the Underscore and that past time. The next two songs followed in quick succession ‘Beautiful Secrets’ and ‘Always Worth It’ before she stopped for quick drink: “always vodka” she joked in response to an audience call out. She addressed the audience about her fondness for still performing in “thick black tights” with “awkward dance moves”.
Sarah thanked people for coming out on a Tuesday night “with Saturday night vibes” to sell out The Princess Theatre. Then, the “I love you, Sarah” call outs started from the audience as she thanked people for “being kind” and quipped about the two albums we were going to hear tonight being “rooted in religious paranoia”. And, then she leapt straight back into performing the songs with the highlights of ‘At Your Best’, ‘Don’t U Eva’ and ‘Counting Sheep’ delivered.
She stopped for “a quick break” and to introduce her smooth as silk band: Neal Sutherland, Benjamin Fletcher, Laurence Pike, David Symes, and David Hunt. There was a funny, and slightly odd moment, when a fan yelled out at the end of the roll call with “and Sarah Blasko” and she responded with a “Hmm…yes…you just have to connect the dots, I guess”. It was handled well and with real grace.
Sarah then took us into the song writing processes that occurred in ‘The Overture & the Underscore’. She explained to the audience about the life changes that had driven the album, her need to find her voice through music and her work with Robert Cranny. She told the poignant story of the song ‘Perfect Now’ which was written by Robert Cranny when he was 16 years old. And she did that song justice, and she performed it beautifully.
The lights which were amazing throughout the two halves of the show (thanks to Baz) and they complemented the rising harmonic sounds of ‘Sweetest November’, ‘Cinders’, and the terrific ‘True Intentions’. Through this section of the album, she stopped for a rest to take questions, always dangerous. She told the audience that new music was on the way. She received a marriage proposal and responded with a “why not?” and was stunned when a fan asked when the mosh pit was getting going – at that point she said what and responded very physically between a laugh and a grunt. As she came back with: “everyone moshes in their own way” before moving quickly to deliver the song ‘Remorse’.
Sarah, then stopped, and the band left the stage, there was more banter about the early 2000s and the idea of secret songs – before she delivered the secret song on the album ‘Long Time’ that was performed with Dave Hunt on acoustic guitar. It was performed with stunning lyrical vocals and simplicity of style. Then, Dave Hunt quietly left the stage, and Sarah walked off last, and the house lights came up for intermission.
I have to say a big thank you to Fables and their staff for the lovely drinks and service. And, also to the fabulous staff at The Princess Theatre who got everything swiftly organised and people back for the second half of the show in under 20 minutes.
The second half of the concert started with sounds of the sea echoing around the venue: waves and the resonances of ripples of water set the tone for the music to come next. The lighting fluctuated and the sounds of the ocean got louder and louder as the waves crashed – the lights went down. The second half of the evening was about to begin and the album What the Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have was the focus.
The set opened with ‘For You’, ‘The Garden’s End’ and ‘Explain’ before the first break. Where the audience broke into song with ‘Happy Birthday’ and birthday wishes delivered to Sarah. She was genuinely surprised by the acknowledgement as she stated: “Well, yes, I am performing on my birthday. I have got my nightie on, and I am performing with my friends to many of my friends”. There was a lot of laughter and the game “word of the gig” was explained. An audience member then yelled out the word of the gig today was “Mo**erf**ker” and it was adopted pretty quickly with a snigger and then as a cathartic yell. “Great it out,” stated Sarah. “You will feel better”. It gave the night that rock’n’roll edge. And, then a quick apology was made to any younger members of the audience.
Then, music started to flow with ‘The Albatross’, ‘Planet New Year’ and ‘Always On This Line’ that were performed with real emotion. Then, another stripped back and intimate delivery of ‘Woman By The Well’ with Dave Hunt on acoustic guitar was a set highlight. Sarah talked about her love of the piano and some of her strange video clips made for songs from this album. Then, with more questions from the crowd and her schoolteacher approach to the answers. The songs ‘Hammer’ and ‘Queen Of Apology’ were played.
Then, Sarah stopped to explain the penultimate song ‘Showstopper’ and it was totally funny. She stood still and told the audience: “This is not the last song. It’s ‘Showstopper’. It’s not even the last song on the album either. I don’t know what I was thinking back then. It’s not the end”. And it was a great lead into the finale as ‘Showstopper’ was a real highpoint that led into the climax of ‘I Could Never Belong To You’. It took the audience full circle back to that young woman writing about her life and escaping that religious upbringing. It was joyful and satisfying that the now 49-year-old had made it.
