Review: City and Colour @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre
City and Colour’s performance was an unforgettable showcase of the emotional depth and versatility of singer-songwriter Dallas Green.
Words & Images by Michael Lockheart
City and Colour w/Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats & Alex Lahey @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre 21/01/25
On a night brimming with soul-stirring performances, City and Colour, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Alex Lahey captivated the audience gathered at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre. Each act brought a sound unique to one another, culminating in quite an unforgettable evening showcasing the emotional depth and versatility of Dallas Green and Rateliff’s musicianship.
Alex Lahey opened the night with characteristic energy and charm. Her set featured crowd favourites like ‘Every Day's the Weekend’ and ‘You’ll Never Get Your Money Back’, which she delivered with raw passion and sly charm. Lahey’s ability to connect with the audience was evident as she balanced high-energy riffs with introspective moments, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Her dynamic range – from near-punk yells to sweet, refined vocals – set the perfect tone for what was to come.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats followed, bringing a vibrant blend of folk, Americana and rhythm and blues, evocative of Motown's glory days. The eight-piece band from Denver, Colorado, filled the theatre with a glossy, infectious energy. A clear highlight was their breakout hit ‘S.O.B.’, which had the crowd clapping, stomping, and singing along with joy. Tracks like ‘I Need Never Get Old’ and ‘Hey Mama’ showcased Rateliff’s soulful vocals and the band’s seamless synchronicity. The set balanced high-energy moments with heartfelt ballads, leaving the audience thoroughly impressed and ready for the evening’s headliner.
When Dallas Green, known as City and Colour, took the stage, the atmosphere shifted to one of hushed reverence. Opening with ‘After Disaster’, the show’s minimalist stage design and evocative lighting created an intimate setting that allowed his angelic voice and poignant lyricism to shine. His set, now spanning two decades of recorded music, blended tracks from his latest album, The Love Still Held Me Near, with beloved classics.
Introducing ‘Meant to Be’ with a heartfelt invitation to the crowd, Green declared, “Let’s get emotional,” for a fitting tribute to a dear lost friend. The song featured lush arpeggiated chords and guitars that rattled and lingered in the hall, with Green’s voice resonating like church bells. The instrumentation filled the room with a sense of awe, mirroring the grandeur of a cathedral. Moments like these exemplified Green’s unparalleled ability to create a deeply emotional connection through his music.
“Here’s another cheery one for ya,” he ironically quipped before launching into ‘Little Hell’. This rendition featured a slower tempo than the recorded version, offering space for cathartic reflection on themes of failed love and life’s unpredictability. The crowd swayed gently, some visibly moved by the raw emotion in Green’s delivery.
‘Astronaut’ then soared to atmospheric heights, with a breathtaking guitar solo that seemed to glide above the curvature of the earth. The band’s chemistry was undeniable as they jammed out the outro, with Green and co. revelling in the moment as much as the audience.
Before performing ‘Bow Down to Love’, Green addressed the crowd with a wry comment: “Today of all days, we live in a democratic society, so you don’t have to dance if you don’t want, but I strongly suggest now is your moment, so live a little.” The statement – delivered on the day of the USA’s latest Presidential inauguration – elicited knowing laughter from the crowd. The performance itself was a tour de force, with Green unleashing the full power of his voice during the song’s climactic moments. The grand finale saw all the band members on guitars surrounding the drum kit, creating a visually and sonically dramatic conclusion before the encore.
The encore began with the tender ‘Northern Wind’ and ‘Lover Come Back’, both of which showcased Green’s ability to convey profound emotion with minimal instrumentation. The set ended with ‘Sometimes (I Wish)’, a classic reinvigorated with lush, large-scale arrangements that left the audience spellbound, especially fused with call-backs to ‘No Ordinary Love’ from Green’s side project with pop megastar, Pink!.
The final, lingering notes of the song could etch themselves into the memories of everyone present, a fitting conclusion to an evening of musical and occasional sombre reflection.
Check out the full gallery of City and Colour at Adelaide Entertainment Centre here.
