19 February 2025 – Riverstage, Brisbane – words by Cecilia Pattison-Levi – pictures by Sarah Gilpin
One of Ireland’s most celebrated bands, The Corrs, are a family of musicians who deliver wonderful pop-rock songs fused with Celtic folk tradition and sounds. The Corrs have embarked on an Australian tour to celebrate the phenomenal success of the award-winning release Talk On Corners and their seven other studio albums with an amphitheatre concert to 4,000 fans at Riverstage in Brisbane on a Wednesday night. The Corrs have brought with them the talented Gabrielle Cilmi and the fabulous band Bachelor Girl to deliver on evening of huge hits and nostalgia.
The evening commenced with the fabulous Bachelor Girl taking to the Riverstage. Bachelor Girl (Tania Doko and James Roche) are known for walking under a bus, being hit by a train, being sunk out at sea, crashing the car, and going insane. The band played Red Hot Summer and were really dynamic. They worked very hard to get the crowd motivated for the evening and they succeeded in getting the crowd to engage in singalongs. Bachelor Girl performed a short set of fresh and sharp songs: ‘Blown Away’, ‘Permission To Shine’, ‘Treat Me Good’, ‘I’m Just A Girl’ and of course their classic ‘Buses And Trains’.
Bachelor Girl – Riverstage – photos by Sarah Gilpin
Bachelor Girl are celebrating 25th anniversary of their debut album Waiting For The Day this year. There were many fans at Riverstage who really appreciated the performance and the merch tent proved that after their set. Their performance was well received by the crowd. The set highlight was the singalong with ‘Buses And Trains’ at the end of their set which sounded fantastic. The crowd was left ready for the next two acts. Get to a celebration gig for Bachelor Girl’s 25th anniversary for their debut album – you won’t be sorry!
After a quick stage re-arrange: Gabriella Cilmi was next onto the Riverstage to perform. She is a passionate performer with a powerful vocal range. She played a mixture of songs both old and new: ‘Why Are You Hanging Around’, the powerful and insightful ‘Too Far Gone’, ‘Just What We Do’ and of course the amazing ‘Sweet About Me’ that had the whole crowd singing along.
Gabriella Cilmi – Riverstage – photos by Sarah Gilpin
I first saw Gabriella Cilmi over 17 years ago when she played live at Homebake in Sydney in 2008. She was just 16 years old and had released a breakout hit single ‘Sweet About Me’ from her album Lessons to Be Learned. What most people do not remember is that same year she played Glastonbury. But before that in 2005, her songs ‘Don’t Tell Me’ and ‘Sorry’ appeared in the film Hating Alison Ashley when she was just 13. I was intrigued to see what this young woman had been doing with her music and performances over the last decade and a half. I knew that she had stopped performing but had within the last five years started to release music into the public domain with ‘Ruins’ in 2019.
Gabriella Cilmi’s vocals are powerful, rich, and sharp. She also took the time to engage the crowd and told them about her experiences as a young female in the music industry and how that process scarred and changed her. She took time away from music and is now returning to live performance and making the music she wants to make. The music she is making is bluesy pop-rock with great melodies. Gabriella Cilmi and her fantastic band played blues rock music and delivered a fantastic cover in that style of ‘My Happiness’ by Powderfinger to honour Brisbane as they finished their set.
The stage area was recalibrated, re-set and lights changed. It was those blue flashing lights that heralded The Corrs arrival onto the Riverstage to perform a 21-song set. The energy in the venue was electric as drummer Caroline Corr launched into the opening beats of ‘Only When I Sleep’. The Brisbane crowd erupted with joy, setting the tone for the musical journey through their iconic back catalogue.
The Corrs sparkled on stage and their setlist was a carefully crafted blend of their Talk On Corners album, and other hits and fan favourites from across their song archive. Frontwoman Andrea Corr commanded the stage with charisma, her enthusiasm was infectious as she guided the band through the performance. Early highlights in their set were ‘Give Me A Reason’, ‘Summer Sunshine’, ‘White Light’ and ‘Forgiven, Not Forgotten’ that brought a wave of nostalgia, drawing cheers and singalongs from the crowd.
The Corrs – Riverstage – photos by Sarah Gilpin
Andrea Corr chatted to the crowd about their love of playing in Australia. This connection has been enduring since 1995 when they landed in Cairns and people knew them and they heard their songs on the radio. Australian fans of The Corrs are some of the most loyal in the world with the band achieving sales in excess of two million albums locally since their 1995 debut album Forgiven, Not Forgotten crashed into the ARIA charts and stole the nation’s hearts.
The Corrs also performed cèilidh music with energetic traditional Irish instruments. They demonstrated their skill with the violin, drums, piano and penny whistle. It was wonderful to hear ‘Lough Erin Shore’, ‘Ellis Island’ and the set closer ‘Toss The Feather’. Sharon Corr’s playing of the violin was perfect and helped frame the traditional Irish sound and connection into every track. ‘So Young’ was another heart-pounding rock track that enchanted the crowd with traditional sounding Irish violin melody.
The Corrs – Riverstage – photos by Sarah Gilpin
Jim Corr played guitar and piano that underpinned the musical bedrock of the performance. And, the siblings’ harmonisations were extraordinary. However, the musical magic lay in The Corrs’ ability to seamlessly shift gears from pop to folk to rock. They really picked up the pace with ‘Radio’ and then the cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’. The delivery of the angsty and grungy ‘I Never Loved You Anyway’ was a set highlight. In fact, it was so good, that it made ‘Runaway’ seem flat. The encore song ‘Breathless’ lived up to its name: the song was performed with real class. It was exhilarating and the crowd were up on their feet: dancing and singing along.
The Corrs versatility to change their tone and musical style shone throughout the performance. The night was a celebration of their musical legacy and their timeless talent. The crowd were buzzing as they left Riverstage.
The Corrs proved they still have it. And, like fine wine are getting better with experience. The Corrs created an unforgettable and unique live music experience.
