A haze overcomes the room, shrouding observants in darkness. As shadowy figures slowly appear behind their workstations of various pads, keyboards and synthesizers, the familiar noises that open one of the year’s finest debut LPs begin popping up. It’s then that the fourth and final figure appears.
The lighting is so dim that it’s not possible to detail these individuals by their faces, but as the last emerges and approaches the microphone, there’s absolutely no mistaking it – we are, at long last, in the presence of Sampha. A tour announced some six months prior, this weekend of shows – helping to kick off this year’s Vivid festivities in earnest – has been sold out for almost as long. Let the record show that what ensues is entirely worth the wait – a truly stunning showcase of one of pop music’s most resonant and profound vocalists.
Indeed, it’s the voice that strikes you first. It might seem impossible for an artist to replicate such tone, soul and conviction as heard on Sampha’s recorded material, but when he rolls around to more tender moments such as ‘Too Much’ or ‘Incomplete Kisses’, it’s uncanny. It’s a jaw-dropping, mesmerising experience – and as hyperbolic as statements like that come across, they only barely do the man justice. His band is a fascinating ensemble – the musicians build up every song’s soundscape with military precision, yet it never feels overly calculated or artificial. Undeniable grooves like ‘Blood On Me’ are favoured in particular, the beat lasting well after its normal conclusion and spiralling into psychedelic joy.
Perhaps the most clever aspect of the show, however, lies in the stage set-up. All night, a circle of drums stand on their own at stage left and are not touched once. This all changes during the encore, in which Sampha’s entire troupe rallies around the circle to perform ‘Without’ as the explosive, all-in finale. As the rhythm takes over, many are driven out of their seats – a final burst of energy sending out the set on a full, natural high.
Consider the bar officially set for the rest of Vivid 2017.
Sampha played the Sydney Opera House on Saturday May 27. Photo by Daniel Boud
