Chet Faker @ The Palais, Melbourne

Video: Chet Faker Talk Is Cheap Live @ 2014 ARIAS.

Chet Faker advised that he grew up listening to his father’s Van Morrison records. Aha! Charm, soul and sex appeal can be passed on from generation to generation via song. However, Chet’s short white socks appeared to be inspired by Michael Jackson. 

The scene was The Palais, Melbourne (25 February 2015), and I began my night seated under a picture of Chet Baker in St Kilda. Not that I planned it that way, I just felt like Malaysian on the night and the restaurant is a short stroll from Luna Park.

Chet took advantage of the immaculate seating of The Palais to open with some of his more softer numbers. It worked as the crowd stayed pinned down to their seats for half the show. It was a total contrast to the show he performed at The Forum the previous year where the entire crowd were bopping along non-stop. Naturely, his No Diggity cover and 1998 definitely had the crowd up on their feet dancing.

I’m pretty sure I’m not prone to seizures but I think I was on verge with the many, many lights strobing into my face during the night. I did enjoy the light show but my retina could have used a few time-outs to recuperate.

The crowd seemed to be a real mix of ages and sexes, and it was great to see lots of underage fans out enjoying a live show from a great musician. The guys next to us seemed very enamoured with Chet (they may have wanted his babies), and I think the Flume co-written track Drop The Game was a highpoint for the younger folk.

Chet talked about needing to hold down a job in order to make his own music, and the realities of being a modern independent musician who relies on local fans purchasing his music to make a career. You’re welcome, Chet!

Half a year on from The Forum show and I noticed that Chet is reworking his songs, evolving them into new beasts. He is challenging himself, and improving his stage act considerably. Next time he visits his hometown he’ll need to be playing at Festival Hall or Rod Laver Arena as his multitude of dates in the one city are likely to be hard to squeeze in when he is dominating world venues.

He played the Van Morrison track Moondance, and I’m sure his feet may have been possessed by Mr Jackson at times. He isn’t quite at the level of Smooth Criminal trick yet, but time will tell. Melt, So Into You, and To Me were a few song highlights of mine this time around.

Ending the night with Talk Is Cheap was spine-tingley as he mesmerised the audience with his pause. 2014 proved to be a massive year where Chet took home a few ARIAs and topped the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2014 with that very song.

I’ll leave you with this equation… Chet Faker + Sidney Myer Music Bowl = Make It Happen*

* Plus, while I’m at it since Chet hearts Banks, and I heart Banks, let’s get her on as the support act!

Two dragons one snake™ @hernameisbanks pic.twitter.com/qwqlbJxYaD

— NM (@nick_murphy) January 23, 2015

Chet Faker, Source: https://www.facebook.com/Chetfaker/