If there’s one artist you need to get in your life at the moment, it’s Sydney singer/songwriter Dean Lewis. His single Waves has absolutely taken off, and receiving an enormous amount of praise, as well as air play. It’s no surprise that his live set is even more mind blowing.
Playing the first instalment of a series of secret Sydney shows late last week, Lewis was set to perform an intimate set to a small crowd of people in a lantern-lit room at the back of a street front building. Before it hit 7pm, the space was packed to the brim and it was clear how eager everyone was to see Lewis do his thing.
Bursting into the room, Lewis wasted no time, sitting himself down at the keyboard and jumped straight into playing Waves.
The vocals from Dean Lewis were stunning and commanding. There was an element of power to his voice that made it feel like we were in a far bigger space.
He continued to play Chemicals, Call My Name and Lose My Mind, blending indie folk with intricate guitar and keyboard work, creating constantly beautiful sounds. Throughout the entire set, not one person in the room said a word – there was barely even a movement from the audience.
It was as though Lewis had put some sort of spell over everyone, making it impossible to take your eyes off him. In between tracks, he took a few seconds out from mesmerising everyone to chat with the audience, telling the story behind each song and coming off as a genuinely, effortlessly lovely guy.
Finishing off with Don’t Hold Me and Be Alright, the night seemed to go by in a flash. Although he was just accompanied by his guitar and keyboard, the sound produced was really something else.
I have heard full bands play who don’t pack nearly as much punch as Lewis managed to do on his own. The combination of his flawless vocals, thoughtful and thought provoking vocals teamed with his mesmerising stage presence made for a faultless performance, and I highly recommend everyone keep an eye out for his next live set!
