Paul Kelly, Lucinda Williams, Fanny Lumsden @ Entertainment Centre, Adelaide 4/9/2025
On reflection this was one of those dream line ups that was to good to let pass by. Australia’s finest, legend and elder statesman Paul Kelly headlined what would be his biggest headline show in Adelaide. Simply put, this was a masterclass and at seventy years young there are no signs of slowing down and is right at the top his game. Even with a career spanning fifty years he is still busily crafting new songs with a new album Seventy due later this year. It was also the dreaming with three time Grammy winner Lucinda Williams and two time ARIA and nine time CMAA Golden Guitar winner Fanny Lumsden (a personal fav of ours) making this celebration of live music even more memorable. Even with an AFL final on in the city this was a huge turnout and if it wasn’t sold out it would have been very close.
It seemed way to short but there is a lot to like about Fanny Lumsden and the way she goes about it making the most of the opportunity. Without a shadow of a doubt her career trajectory continues to trend upwards and as an avid fan it has been great to watch her career to keep building. There were some great songs in the set list with the likes of Land Of Gold and Look At me Now.
Never in a million years would I have ever thought that I would have seen American singer-song writer Lucinda Williams in Adelaide. Considered as one of the most “vital” voices in American songwriting you only have to go as far back as the 2023 album Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart as evidence of that. She had a certain charm that naturally endeared herself to Adelaide fans. Without being forced, it was a compelling and captivating performance that by set’s end the audience were definitely wanting more. Opening with Can’t Let Go and Stolen Moments the audience knew they were in the presence of a truly great icon. There was the Townes Van Zandt connection in Drunken Angel followed by new song Low Life. There was a rousing cheer for You Can’t Rule Me which was dedicated to the “wannabe king who is systematically destroying our democracy”.
The Tom Petty recorded Changed The Locks was brilliant and from the album recorded at Abbey Road consisting of Beatles covers While My Guitar Gently Weeps got the crowd singing along. Joy and Honey Bee followed but if any song was going to get the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up it was the cover of Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World. Wow! The song is just as relevant now as it ever has been before which was given the Lucinda Williams touch up. An absolute gem to finish her set.
What had been experienced so far was nothing short of brilliant and when Paul Kelly and band took the stand there was a rousing reception. Opening with Houndstooth Dress and Firewood and Candles the scene was set for an incredible night. Indicating that the show would be songs and stories from forty years that there would be “enough space to roam around in”. It was familiar territory that proved popular with Before To Long. Careless was one of those inspired by The Go Between then suggesting that the “ghost story” Rita Wrote a Letter still has “wet paint” which is the bookend to an iconic hit to come later in the set. Paul spoke fondly of the creative partnership with band mates Peter Luscombe and Bill McDonald introducing Love Never Runs on Time as being released in the same year that Seinfeld came out. Love story and set staple When I First Met Your Ma was gold. Every Day My Mother’s Voice with Jess Hitchcock on backing vocals was powerful and the imagery of former AFL player Adam Goodes reinforced the struggles with racism.
The Shakespearean inspired Sonnet 18 was a great moment as was If I Could Start Today Again and They Thought I Was Asleep. The memory of Steve Connolly (former The Coloured Girls/Messengers guitarist) lives on in the music with Paul dedicating From St Kilda to Kings Cross to him. There plenty of big ones to come with To Her Door, Deeper Water, Dumb Things and the infamous How To Make Gravy. It wouldn’t be a Paul Kelly show either without the iconic From Little Things Big Things Grow. It would remiss not to mention Paul Kelly’s elite all star band of Ashley Naylor (guitar), Peter Luscombe (drums), Bill McDonald (bass), Jess Hitchcock (backing vocals) and Cameron Bruce (keys). The encore was stellar starting with the reflective Going to the River With Dad, my personal favourite Leaps and Bounds closing with the a capella version Meet Me in the Middle of the Air. An amazing night of music and fingers crossed for an encore lap in the summer.
Live Review By Rob Lyon