James Taylor is in a category of music royalty that few ever reach. With a brand of soft rock that has made him one of the most recognisable musicians around, Taylor had a huge practically sold-out crowd at the ICC Sydney to support him as he embarked on his likely farewell tour. 

When he entered the stage, there was not a hint of the ego that is present in so many of the stars of his calibre. Following his intermission, a number of fans moved towards the state with photos for Taylor to sign which he happily obliged for at least five minutes. The fact that he was willing to do this spoke to the gratitude and goodwill he held for his fans which was well and truly reciprocated. 

Taylor’s set was comprehensive, spanning two acts, an encore and over twenty songs. In the set was all the hits including the gorgeous “Fire and Rain” which Taylor slowed down to allow the audience to feel every moment. His rich voice resonated through the auditorium and delighted the audience who had waited all night for the song. 

He also performed plenty of other songs that would be considered classics with the gentle cover of “You’ve Got a Friend” and a rocking performance of “Mexico” that was amplified by his superb backing vocalists and band (all of whom were incredibly accomplished musicians in their own right), with vocalist Dorian Holley standing out with an incredible solo towards the end of the set. 

Taylor’s banter without the crowd was concise but engaging, often punctuating the breaks between songs with one-liners. Amongst them were jokes about his constantly changing his guitar and about his age, all of which had the audience amused. The jokes were perhaps delivered a little awkwardly but that, in effect, added to their charm. 

The two-act set was perhaps a little long, with many more hits in the second act than the first but , given that this is Taylor’s farewell tour, perhaps this is understandable as he wanted to give the audience everything he had. The intermission did halt the momentum to some degree but almost everyone returned after the break, keen to see the biggest hits. 

Taylor’s voice sometimes struggled to hold up to the demands of his music but on the whole, he was more than up to the task of delivering a lengthy setlist. There seemed to be a genuine affection for the crowd on his part and this certainly came through in his set.

This was a strong concert, where Taylor said his goodbyes to his adoring Sydney fans. While the setlist tended to lag a little, there was no doubt that the audience had an absolute blast as Taylor performed some of his biggest hits. This felt like a ‘thank you’ from Taylor to his fans and as Taylor left to a rousing reception, it was clear the feeling was reciprocated. 

Rating: ★★★★

James Taylor – ICC Sydney – 23^rd April, 2024

Photo credit: duncanbarnes.photography