The early noughties in Australia are synonymous with the name Missy Higgins. Her 12x Platinum album, The Sound of White, was the soundtrack for a generation of Australians, with the sensational lyricism and craftsmanship inspiring many future Australian artists. At the State Theatre, Higgins returned to the stage for a generous show, spanning nearly three hours in length, which first introduced some of her B-sides and new material before returning to The Sound of White to play the album in its entirety, 20 years after its first release.

The first set began with an acoustic performance of some of Higgins’ early songs, picked by social media leading up to the concert. From the very first moments, the beauty of her lyricism was evident, and her voice shone through the State Theatre. Higgins’ songs are auto-biographical in nature, perhaps even more directly so than most other singer-songwriters. The songs that Higgins performed off her forthcoming album, The Second Act, were deeply raw and personal, with “Blue Velvet Dress” a clear standout as Higgins sung about the moment her marriage ended, moments before she had to perform on stage for the annual New Year’s Eve Concert.

Higgins accompanied both her sets with lengthy narrative to contextualise the songs she was performing. While, on their face, they seemed to lengthen the show perhaps more than necessary, Higgins ensured that the explanations were always engaging and relevant, mixing dry humour with gut-wrenchingly personal discussions about things like explaining her divorce to her children (“A Complicated Truth) to give a truly meaningful performance. Higgins fittingly closed the first act of her show with “The Second Act” which is, without a doubt, one of the best songs that she has written since her debut. Filled to the brim with emotion and power, the song discusses reclaiming of agency in a sad yet triumphant way. Higgins sang it perfectly and harnessed the power of the crowd behind her to signify her transition into a new era. It was a wonderful moment.

When Higgins returned from a lengthy intermission (which, at that time of the night, needed to be significantly shorter), she began playing The Sound of White in full (although not in order, as she noted that the dynamics of an album are very different to the dynamics of a setlist for a concert). She commenced this part of her set with “All For Believing”, which still remains a highlight of the album with its lyrical melody and superb craftsmanship. 

Twenty years on from her initial release of the album, Higgins’ interpretation was refined and full of substance as she moved seamlessly between piano and guitar. Her voice was rich and powerful, adding a new dimension to the songs, some of which she hadn’t performed since her debut tour. 

When it came time to close out the set, the audience knew exactly which three songs Higgins had saved for the end of the show. “The Special Two” is a song that clearly had meaning in some way or another for the vast majority of the audience and for that reason, Higgins said she often shies away from revealing her meaning for the song. However, tonight, she revealed that the song was about the bond between her and her sister, who was in the audience which led to a rousing and poignant performance of what is arguably Higgins’ best and most iconic song. It was at this moment in the set that Higgins was most locked in with the audience, which created a sense of genuine connection and empathy between performer and crowd. She then closed out the set with “Scar” and a raw performance of “The Sound of White”, which she revealed was written about her cousin who lost his battle with cancer when she was in school. It was a sombre but emotional way to close out the set. 

What was particularly remarkable about this performance was the lack of mobile phones out in the audience. This reflected a crowd who were totally captured (even to the point of being entranced) by Higgins’ skill as a performer and as a musician, bucking all trends of modern-day concert-going. It was a true testament to the quality of the set. 

This was a show that was perfect in almost every aspect, with only its length being a potential qualm. Higgins has long been known as one of the finest singer-songwriters in Australia and performances like these only solidify that reputation. Combined with her superb band, Higgins showed exactly why her debut album was so successful and backed it up with some new songs that match (and possibly even exceed) the quality of her earlier offerings. This was a special concert that few in the audience will ever forget. 

Rating: ★★★★★

Missy Higgins – 31^st July – State Theatre

All photo credits: Rebecca Amy