They Will Have Their Way

Last night Nicole, Mary and I went to the They Will Have Their Way musical event, treated to the amazing songs of Neil and Tim Finn, performed by seven of the most talented Aussie artists right now. Off the back of the largely successful albums She Will Have Her Way and last year's He Will Have His Way, this concert brought both of these together in a truly wonderful night!

We met out the front of Luna Park in the balmy Melbourne evening, crossing paths with the sauntering Paul Dempsey on the street, before we had dinner at Grill'd along Ackland Street. Getting back to the Palais Theater we took our seats for the night.

Sally Seltmann opened Act 1 with her album track, Four Seasons In One Day, before she introduced Lior onto the stage for his beautiful Into Temptation. Clare Bowditch then joined Lior on stage for Won't Give In.

Then Clare gave us her album track Fall at Your Feet, with the girls of Seeker Lover Keeper joining her on stage in a harmonising backing, much like the Boy & Bear version that did so well last it. It was musical heaven!

Holly Throsby remained on stage with Sally for Not The Girl You Think You Are, before we saw Alexander Gow for the first time for the night, pairing up with Holly for her version of the lovely Stuff And Nonsense. Alex then performed his album track, I Feel Possessed.

Paul Dempsey arrived on stage and delivered Message to My Girl, which was a standout for me, as he and his lanky frame rocketed around the stage. Every time you could not imagine the night delivering something else above expectations, it did - Sarah Blasko and Paul teaming up for my favourite Crowdies song, Distant Sun - wow!

This half of the evening then gifted Sarah singing Split Enz's My Mistake, Sally returning for One Step Ahead, before Clare commanded the stage to encourage the crowd to join in for the evening. Channeling the message from her stage show from earlier this year, she discussed that these songs ranging from Enz, to Crowded House, to the Finn Brothers and the brother's solo material belongs to all of us, really, and that we all know and should be singing them - she then arranged crowd block harmonising for Better Be Home Soon, for which Paul joined her on stage for. Magical!


Interval allowed us all to take in the awe of the songs and performances thus far, before Act 2 commenced with Alex giving us a gorgeous Poor Boy, and then Holly sang Pineapple Head. The girls of Seeker Lover Keeper, being Sarah, Holly and Sally, in their supergroup formation, performed their album version of Sinner, which has popped up on the combined CD. Beautiful!

Unsinkable saw Lior and Paul combine, before Lior delivered Mean to Me. A totally under-appreciated artist for mine, he is such a talent! One of the most charismatic on the night, with his chatter to the crowd.

Alex took center stage again with a great Now We're Getting Somewhere, before singing Something So Strong with Clare. The youngest of the group of performers, what a treat for Alex to be part of this peer collaboration! Trading Alex for Paul, Clare joined Paul in his obscure Turn And Run, before Paul did a punchy Chocolate Cake. Such fun!

I Hope I Never was Sally's for the night, and then Sarah performed her album track, Don't Dream It's Over, with the rest of the cast for the night joining her on stage for harmonies. So amazing!

Sarah then sang a haunting Dirty Creature before the boys took over the stage for a crazy and emphatic I See Red!

The encore for the evening included It's Only Natural and Weather With You, with all seven talents combining in different front-of-stage combinations.

What a memorable musical event, an amazing tribute to the brilliant lyrical geniuses of Tim and Neil Finn and their vast and varied catalogue across the years. But also awe-inspired performances from Clare Bowditch, Paul Dempsey, Sarah Blasko, Sally Seltmann, Holly Throsby, Lior and Alexander Gow. Such talent in the Aussie music pool right now!

Wow.