It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when Dean Lewis hit stratospheric levels of popularity. He has always had a relatively large following in Australia but after appearances on various daytime and late night television shows in the US, he quickly became the most ‘Shazammed’ artist in the country at one point. Yet, returning to Australia, for a sold-out arena tour culminating with two packed dates at the ICC Sydney Theatre, Lewis summed it up best as he gazed out into the crowd.

“8 years ago, I was playing at an open mic night and today, I’ve sold 9,000 tickets to my show in Sydney.”

Lewis performed songs which spanned the length of his journey as a performing artist. Starting with “Memories” off his latest album before moving into songs like “7 Minutes”, the Lewis formula of songwriting became immediately apparent. This is not to say that this is a bad thing, on the contrary, Lewis has a way of connecting with these songs that works and translates well to arena shows. His lyrics are also careful and considered, displaying a level of sophistication that many songwriters aspire to achieve. However, musically, after a while, the songs began to follow a familiar rhythm. 

The crowd was engaged in the show for the most part, with Lewis performing a brand of heartthrob music that suited the arena venue well. He was energetic around the stage, frequently moving into the crowd, much to their delight. Through his movement, he made the crowd feel particularly included and this was well-received. 

Interestingly, some of Lewis’ new material was among the best he performed on the night. “Love of my Life”, which he performed for the first time live on Sunday night, was perfectly tender and emotional in its approach, speaking of a love that had fallen away. Other songs, three of which Lewis performed from a small stage within the audience were also well-received. 

It was clear that the audience responded most favourably to the moments of the concert where Lewis was at his most sincere, such as when he debuted some of his newer work. Other moments in the concert fell slightly flat, like a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” which didn’t really add much to the original. Some of Lewis’ dialogue also didn’t quite connect with the audience, feeling rehearsed and a little contrived. It was when Lewis was singing with his guitar or at the piano that the audience were most engaged. 

Lewis saved his best and most iconic songs for the end of the set. His smash hit, “Waves” was impeccably done, with the audience feeling every moment of the iconic song. This was quickly followed by a cover of Coldplay’s “Fix You”, with support from Daniel Seavey (who delivered an absolutely fabulous opening set) and Rachael Fahim. The cover was heartfelt and provided a welcome contrast to the rest of the set. Lewis closed out the regular set with a performance of “How Do I Say Goodbye”, accompanied by his dad on guitar which tugged at the heartstrings of all in the audience. 

As he came out for the encore, Lewis sung arguably his biggest hit, “Be Alright”, which had the audience swaying in the seats and the singer-songwriter sat in front of the piano as he delivered the final number. With 9000 people singing along, it was a fitting way to end a concert which charted just how far Lewis had come. 

Rating: ★★★★

Dean Lewis – 3^rd November 2024 – ICC Sydney Theatre