Dan Sultan's Back To Basics

With news of Dan Sultan doing a couple of solo, acoustic shows at the Toff In Town to test out his new tunes before recording them, it was useless resisting purchasing tickets! I actually went to both shows, one with Nicole and one with Michelle.

Both nights opened with Walk Through My Dream, before he showcased some of the new tracks he has been working on. Across two 45 minute sets each night, he was chatty, explaining the background to many of the songs, and telling stories from Irish translations to his award of best legs at the Community Cup the previous weekend.

A solo rendition of the current song with Way Of The Eagle, Rattlesnake, was impressive solo. The first set ended with Kimberley Calling, the beautiful and literary tale of travelling to find the final resting point of his grandmother.

Dan's new songs were actually very different to the ones we heard back in November. Then, they were all songs of love, and now they are mostly of pain and heartbreak. About him being a bad boyfriend, he explained on the second night. It seems this forthcoming album has completely changed it's tune!

Ending both nights with the powerful, and long time favourite of most in the room, Old Fitzroy - the second night even found a single female voice in the crowd adding the distinct harmony.

He told us on the second night that he is soon off to Nashville to record this new album, just like another band we know.... Looks like Nashville is the place to be for Melbourne artists looking to make new records right now!