Dustin Tebbutt @ Newtown Social Club

With a slew of sold-out shows at Newtown Social Club and two well-received EPs to his name, Dustin Tebbutthad set expectations high for his Wednesday show. However, this seemed to work to his favour rather than detriment as a combination of incredibly tight production, calm atmosphere and simple confidence led to a memorable performance to add to his Bones tour.

As the crowd trickled in, sitting towards the back of the theatrical new band room of the Newtown Social Club, Simon Relf AKA The Tambourine Girls sidled onto stage and kicked off the night. Though Relf began with some pitchy moments, he quickly revealed the spooky, earthiness of his voice behind the fringe as his presence grew more confident. He looked kind of lonely without a full band in this space and with the audience so far away and seated, though he still produced a big sound, rich with old-school rock and blues influences.

But when curtains parted to show Dustin Tebbutt and his band take the stage, the venue transformed completely. Hovering candles hung amongst the instruments, the audience circled around Tebbutt as if around a campfire and the general murmur that existed before became stillness. Every element of the sound they produced was gentle and made your skin tingle: Dustin’s honest vocals, the semi-acoustic guitarist’s soft yet important touch, the drummer’s lightness and the bassist’s seamless transitions.

If anything, the set was almost too calming, making it easy for the mind to drift and meaning that the crowd did not shout enthusiastically at the end for the encore that perhaps Tebbutt deserved. Often it was difficult to discern his echoing lyrics, with mellow sounds being the star rather than articulation. But by no means did this prevent him from forming a connection with the audience – he told genuine stories of Sydney life throughout and presented a touching solo cover of ‘The Beauty Surrounds’ by Houses, dedicated to a friend of his from Newtown that recently passed away.

Tebbutt and his band have prepared a real treat for fans and newcomers alike on this tour; his live presence will send you into reflection and likely touch a tender side you didn’t know you had.