James Reyne is one of Australia’s most iconic vocalists and, after some of his shows earlier this year had to be rescheduled due to skin cancer, Reyne was back in Sydney after a gig at the Enmore Theatre for an afternoon performance at the City Recital Hall, bringing with him a catalogue of hits spanning both his solo career and his time with Australian Crawl.

The atmosphere at the City Recital Hall was quite unique in that this was an afternoon show, meaning there wasn’t quite the same raucous energy to greet opener Alex Lloyd as he took to the stage, with quite a sparse crowd in attendance. Lloyd played a solid 45 minute set, with his smash hit “Amazing” unsurprisingly proving the highlight while covers of “Hallelujah” and “Blackbird” also impressed the audience and showcased the strength of his voice. While the set occasionally lacked focus, with Lloyd frequently dialoging with the audience in a somewhat rambling fashion, it was still an enjoyable way to begin the afternoon before Reyne took to the stage.

Reyne opened with “The Boys Light Up” which was an energetic way to begin proceedings as it had the crowd on their feet and dancing from the very start. I do find it odd that Reyne starts his shows with this song given that it is so loved and so iconic and it was particularly unfortunate for one concertgoer who was clearly returning from the bathroom or the bar to find that the song had already been played, with her repeated requests for Reyne to play it again being unfortunately denied.

Throughout the afternoon, Reyne balanced Australian Crawl favourites with his solo material, with “Daughters of the Northern Coast” and “Beautiful People” arriving early in the set, with the latter drawing one of the biggest singalongs of the afternoon. It wasn’t a full house, with the afternoon time slot perhaps deterring some but the mosh pit felt energetic and the crowd’s enthusiasm consistently came through as Reyne really did his best to put on a show for those in attendance.

“Any day I’ve got a crowd is a good day,” he said. 

After several solo numbers, Reyne delivered a beautiful rendition of “Downhearted”, inviting the audience to share in the moment as he produced what was probably his strongest vocal performance of the afternoon. There was a warmth and sincerity to the performance that connected immediately with the crowd and his band was equally impressive on this number and throughout the show, with “Reckless” being another standout, delivered with the confidence and polish that has made it a staple of Australian live music for decades.

The City Recital Hall presents an interesting challenge for an artist like Reyne as the venue’s acoustics are exceptional, with operas and other largely unamplified performances regularly filling the space, meaning that every detail of Reyne’s vocals came through with remarkable clarity. However, Reyne’s voice has always thrived on grit and character rather than technical perfection meaning that in a venue such as the Enmore Theatre or even the State Theatre, a slightly rougher and grittier sound arguably complements his raspy rock delivery more effectively. While the City Recital Hall allowed the audience to hear every nuance, it also exposed some of the imperfections that are normally absorbed into a fuller rock sound and created a slightly unusual ambiance at times.

That didn’t stop the crowd from embracing the hits as Reyne leaned into the songs that have defined his career, with solo favourites “Fall of Rome” and “Water Water” both receiving strong responses before he closed the main set with “Oh No Not You Again” and “Errol”, which ensured Australian Crawl fans left satisfied. For the encore, Reyne returned with “Things Don’t Seem”, providing a fitting conclusion to an afternoon packed with classic Australian music.

Overall, this was a strong performance that highlighted the remarkable breadth of Reyne’s catalogue, both as a solo artist and as the frontman of Australian Crawl. While the acoustics of the City Recital Hall were not necessarily the perfect match for his style and the afternoon setting didn’t quite generate the atmosphere of a traditional evening concert, the quality of the musicianship remained consistently high. Nearly five decades after first emerging on the Australian music scene, Reyne continues to demonstrate why he remains one of the country’s most enduring and celebrated performers and for those in attendance, it is always a privilege to see him live.

Rating: ★★★★

James Reyne – City Recital Hall – 14 June 2026

Photo credit: Tony Blackwell