Lior & Paul Grabowsky @ Adelaide Festival Summerhouse, Elder Park, Adelaide 7/3/2022
As an autumnal breeze drifts through the Summerhouse and the sky transitions from day to night, two of Australia’s seminal performers take to the stage as part of the 2022 Adelaide Festival.
Singer/ songwriter Lior and composer/ pianist Paul Grabowsky join forces to present reimagined renditions of Lior’s most prevalent songs in a tour de force of entertainment.
“Enjoy the moment,” we are told by Lior as he launches into A Lift in the Morning Fog accompanied by Grabowsky on a black Yamaha C7 Silent piano. It is easy to do just that. To drift away with the music, the lyrics and the stories shared. The outdoor environment, complete with accompanying flora and fauna, is conducive to relaxation.
Despite the large crowd that had amassed, the stripped-back performance feels intimate. The artists are at ease with each other and the audience. There is an overwhelming sense of presence from everyone as the music plays.
Days to Remember serves as a reminder of happy times. Daniel of friendships lost. Grey Ocean, always a highlight live, captures the juxtaposition of beauty and melancholy, while Out in the Country is born of a floating thought.
As the sun disappears and the stars emerge, the cover song Satisfied Mind and the unreleased If the Wind Will Catch My Name are played as solos by Lior. Not to be outdone, Grabowsky is afforded his own solo following this. The impromptu piece transitioning into Angel is just sublime. It generates a yearning for more of the same, but alas, it is not to be. Nonetheless, Grabowsky’s contribution for the remainder of the evening elevates already noteworthy songs: Autumn Flow, Heal Me, Good on Our Own, This Old Love and Safety of Distance.
The individual talent of Lior and Paul Grabowsky is undeniable. It radiates sophistication and subtlety. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with. The overall humility of their performance emphasises the depth and beauty of the music they create to create a truly wonderful and memorable experience, a moment to enjoy.
Adelaide Festival Review By Anita Kertes