Michael Paynter might just be starting his “Great Australian Songbook Tour” but it feels like something that has been years in the making for him. After being discovered by Michael Gudinski while studying law, the singer has had what feels like a million careers, with a breakthrough hit on the pop charts, a stint on The Voice and more recently as a touring member of two of the greatest Australian bands in Icehouse and Cold Chisel. 

To many, he has also become known as a musical theatre star after his performance of “Gethsemane” in Jesus Christ Superstar while playing the titular role had audiences and critics floored, with a version of one of the hardest songs, if not the hardest song, in musical theatre that rivalled the very best. Paynter is continuing down the musical theatre path, having just been cast in the new John Farnham musical presented by Sydney Theatre Company but first he is touring around Australia with some of his favourite tunes from his fellow Australians.

The Foundry Theatre in the Star Casino complex felt like the perfect venue for Paynter as it combined musical theatre with a more intimate pop-style venue, reflecting the almost accidental fusion that Paynter’s career has taken, with good friend Mahalia Barnes having to convince him to take the lead role in Superstar. For this gig, there was an absolutely full house, an eclectic mix of Icehouse fans, Chisel fans and musical theatre lovers but as Paynter arrived on stage from the darkness to sing a poignant version of “I Am Australian”, everyone in the audience, despite their different musical sensibilities, came together as one to appreciate the beauty of Paynter’s voice.

As part of the Chisel touring band, it was unsurprising to see Paynter begin his set with Jimmy Barnes’ “Working Class Man”, on which he took a much more stripped back approach than the original, just sitting at the piano and playing the number. The song started off pleasantly but hit stratospheric high notes towards the end, with very few in the world able to match Paynter’s tone and range. The rest of the set was a homage to Paynter’s precision both in his technique and artistry as he brought a new lens to some of his favourite Australian classics. He continued through his catalogue with “Age of Reason” and his favourite Icehouse song “Crazy”, before moving into a powerful rendition of Silverchair’s “Straight Lines”, which is an incredibly difficult song to sing, but Paynter handled it extremely well. With incredible vocal control and a beautiful timbre that just melted through the audience, the Foundry felt like the perfect venue to showcase all of Paynter’s skills. 

“To find what you do in your life is rare and to have the world you are in receive it so well is a treasure and a gem and I’m so grateful for that,” said Paynter to the audience. 

Paynter wanted to avoid doing too much Farnham but ended up with three Farnham songs, which delighted the crowd, with “Angels” being performed beautifully before he moved into a stripped back version of “Burn for You”, which was absolutely gorgeous. After watching the show, I went back to a version of “Burn for You” that Paynter performed on The Voice 13 years ago and it is incredible to see just how much Paynter’s voice has grown in that time. Compared to his performance on The Voice, there is just so much richness, timbre and roundness of sound, which is reflective of a craft that has been honed for many years to the point where it is absolutely perfect.

A highlight of the night was when David Campbell came out and sang “Something’s Wrong with My Baby” with Paynter. This was special because it almost felt like Farnham was meeting Barnes again, with Campbell getting Jimmy’s rasp absolutely right and Paynter matching Farnham’s tone perfectly. 

“Who else was going to f***ing do it,” said Campbell regarding Paynter’s casting as Farnham in the upcoming musical to laugher from the audience. 

One of my favourite covers of the night was when Paynter sang “Buses and Trains”, which he absolutely nailed before moving into “Chandelier” with a beautiful version that showed off his outrageous vocal range. He closed out the night with “Flame Trees” and bookending the show with Jimmy Barnes  was a great way to end what was an absolutely stunning night of music.

As a reviewer, it can become easy to become desensitised to just how good live music can be but tonight was a reminder of just how special that magic can be. This was a truly breathtaking, performance showing off Australian music at its best and establishing Paynter as one of the nation’s best vocalists. Who knows what the future holds for Paynter beyond John Farnham (although when the inevitable Broadway revival of Chess makes its way to Australia, there would be no one better to sing “Pity the Child” than Paynter) but what is clear is that Paynter is one of the most respected voices in the music industry in Australia, and he manages to seamlessly move between so many genres with his clear, perfect and beautiful voice. One of the best nights of music I have witnessed and a true privilege to attend.

Rating: ★★★★★

Michael Paynter – Foundry Theatre – 22 April 2026