After featuring both artists on the scene, this tour was much anticipated.

Vanessa Amorosi has returned to the live stage stronger than ever before with the new album “Somewhere in the Real World” and her major support for each show on the tour – Michael Paynter – is a star on the rise. No doubt his soon to be released debut “This Welcome Diversion” will be a must have on the basis of what he has showcased so far.

What these two artists have in common is a natural musical soul. They sing effortlessly yet incredibly with vocal ranges that seem to have no limit. Although Amorosi is already established and Paynter is just on the verge, they both know the importance of giving it their all on stage.

Paynter is an intense performer. It is as if he is living his songs in that moment right in front of you. His live vocals are just as good as the recorded tracks and his face depicts the emotions within the lyrics bringing them to life. Obviously he can’t play all instruments on stage like his does on his album but his live band are talented in their own right and add to the live set. They all know their role and together produce a sound that is performed to the highest standard.

The performance of the soulful ballad “Crave” showed how well Paynter and his “Thieves” blend well together. Keyboardist Brett Collins, who is also a talented singer/songwriter, provides a complimentary backing vocal to the leading sound and when this song and many others hit its musical peek, guitarist Bo Phillips demonstrates why he is Paynter’s left-wing man.

This 40 minute set included the hit single “Closer” as well as tracks “Superhero”, “Get Low” and “To Life Tonight”. It varied in pace, ranging from the heartfelt ballads to the guitar-driven rock, but as a whole it proved why Paynter and his band deserve recognition and are on the road to getting it.

It was then time for the female voice that leads Australian music – Vanessa Amorosi.
One would have thought “Get it Started” would welcome her back to the stage but instead she opened with “A Little Love”. When she did play the former, it was followed by the current hit ballad “Perfect”. The set seemed to have no real flow-on effect but she powered through each individual song with a vocal that managed whatever task was at hand.

She is a confident and outgoing performer with years of experience to draw from and incorporated her old favourites, the new tracks, as well as an insertion of some classic covers to add to the overall atmosphere of her live show.

A criticism that was made noticeable with her chosen opener is that besides her released hits, many of her songs don’t match the level of her voice. But what she does so well is show personality and enjoys interacting with the audience. That includes venturing out into the crowd and performing from the tops of dinning tables. On the other hand, having cue cards for a crowd sing-along may engage some, but to others it takes away the impact of the song. The light-hearted fun was her intention here though.

The duet with Paytner for the Led Zeppelin tune “Rock n Roll” was a treat with the two different but first-class vocals combining for some classic rock. The respect between the performers was mutual.

Welcoming her younger sister and backing vocalist to share the spotlight for “Shine” was another highlight and she finished with two of her greatest hits in the pop anthem “Absolutely Everybody” and the rock-chick introductory tune “Kiss Ya Mama”.

But Amorosi wanted to take the rock one step further and came back with the AC/DC classic “It’s A Long Way to the Top”. It showed her greatest strength and slight weakness. Her voice can match it with the boys…but none of her songs were great enough to end with a bang. Nevertheless, she has proved herself not only as a singer but as a performer too.

Two gifted Australian artists combined for a well-executed and enjoyable tour. May there be many more to follow for both.