Kate Miller-Heidke Band

By Matt Dawson

The poster for this show named the act as The Kate Miller-Heidke Band, however, often, the band component is left out. I myself came to this show expecting to see the beautiful Kate grace the stage with a gentle backing band whilst she slammed out her latest hits whilst showcasing her amazing voice, but boy was this show so much more.

Supporting on the night were local indie outfit The Dawn Collective. As a band who have really cemented themselves as a mainstayer in the Sydney music scene, this group of classically trained musicians deliver quite an amazing sound. Never missing a beat and with well written songs to boot, you could listen to these guys for days without complaining.

Finally but it was time for the act most were there to see, the Kate Miller-Heidke Band. Walking out to the stage wearing a stunning evening gown and elbow length gloves that would not look out of place on a runway in Paris, Miller-Heidke serenaded the crowd with her first song for the night, Make it Last. She then aggressively ripped off her gloves and tore into the rest of her set in a style of music that can only be described as punk opera.

Kate had behind her some of the best musicians in the country with Keir Nuttal shredding on guitar, Ben McCarthy slapping away on bass, Steve Pope hitting the skins and local girl from Stanwell Park, Nicole Brophy providing backing vocals and acoustic guitar. Throughout the night we saw some amazing solos coming from each member of the band which really highlighted the fact that the show was more than just a solo female pop singer.

The energy and aggression shown on stage drew in the audience who were then mesmerised by Kate’s vocal ability and stunning range. This girl hits notes that I didn’t think were even possible. As a guy who went to the show, knowing of the band, but not really loving them, this show was purely amazing and has turned me into a full blooded fan. If you get the chance to catch the Kate Miller-Heidke band again, I can assure you it is not one you want to pass up.