Andy Martin Kicks Off “Reverie” Tour at Black Bear Lodge 19/8/22
Written by David Hunter
I had the pleasure of discovering Andy Martin fairly recently. Naturally, whilst preparing for an interview I had with him, my first port of call was Spotify. As I opened his artist profile and searched for what would be my first “Andy” listening experience I didn’t know what to expect. His single ‘Reverie’ was top of the list and just like that, I was hooked.
The next day, I had the pleasure of meeting the man himself. Albeit virtually, I was still stunned by how incredibly humble and easy-going he came across. Interviewing Andy only made me more excited to see him live at his upcoming show for the launch of his 11-show album tour.
A week later, I found myself walking up to Black Bear Lodge in unseasonably warm weather ready for what would be undoubtedly an incredible night. Having never been to Black Bear Lodge, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect of the venue. Exposed brick, hard wood floors, and wooden bar, create an environment perfect both visually and acoustically for live music. Not long after arriving I had the pleasure of meeting Andy in person, along with his talented collaborator and partner, Maisy Taylor. He greeted me happily, as one would expect to be greeted by a friend. As I spoke with Andy I got a sense of his soft nature, even a touch of shyness. However, on top of being completely consistent with the humble and easy-going guy I had interviewed a week earlier, I learnt that Andy is without doubt one of the most genuine people I have come across in this industry – the transition from “interview Andy” to “casual Andy” was seamless, as was the transition to “stage Andy”, but more on that later.
Supporting Andy on this night was two amazing local acts and first up was Moon Saloon (aka Charlie Grainger). Charlie’s songwriting is stunning, almost as stunning as her incredibly beautiful vocals. The sound of Moon Saloon reminds me of Aussie artist Greta Stanley or US-based HAIM with a dream-pop twist. Moon Saloon recently released her second EP called ‘Apples’ which is now available on all streaming services. I highly recommend you check them out.
Next up was Big Dinner. Since coming onto the scene in Brisbane in 2018, Big Dinner has released a large library of tracks, most recently their single ‘Four Leaf Clover’ which dropped last month. During the set I detected notes of Angus Stone in the lead singer’s voice, with instrumentals and songwriting reminiscent of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. What impressed me most about the band was their versatility, with both guitarists and the bass guitarist contributing vocals to the set. If you get the opportunity, be sure to head out and see them – they won’t disappoint!
At the conclusion of Big Dinner’s set, I looked around the venue and found that it had filled significantly with Andy fans. The man himself stepped onto the stage in his bright orange and pink Hawaiian shirt with his dummer Michael Hunter and bass guitarist Jordan Brodie – those fans were about to get exactly what they were waiting for with Andy opening the set with ‘Reverie’ - the title track of his debut album.
Again, I was in awe. Andy was transformed. Any shyness I sensed in him before was no longer there. With his guitar hanging from his neck, the microphone in front of his face and his band behind him, his confidence was exuberant. Having seen this transformation, I knew instantly he was in his element. Despite this huge increase in confidence, at no-point did I feel that he was a different person on stage than who I was talking to a few hours earlier - his genuineness was solid as gold.
Andy’s stage presence was perfect for the occasion, taking the right amount of time to add anecdotes about each song, what they were about, and the inspiration behind them- giving an extra layer of depth to the set. Sonically, Andy’s music reminds me of Australian band, Boy & Bear (a personal favourite of mine), with a more pop feel. The overall performance was brilliant. Andy’s guitar playing, and vocals were perfect, with Michael’s drumming and Jordan’s bass playing beautifully enhancing the experience.
Of course, this review could not be complete without mentioning one more thing – Andy’s flugelhorn performance. I had learnt about Andy’s backstory over the last week and that in his younger years he had learnt both trumpet and flugelhorn. This was definitely a highlight of the night and just showed once more the immense talent that Andy possesses.
As Andy closed out his set with his up-beat track, ‘Mess We Made’, the audience was dancing along and lending their voices in support. I think I can say, on behalf of everyone there, that we didn’t want it to end. But alas, the tour must roll on. With the set finished and having said my goodbyes to Andy and the other incredible people there, I left the venue feeling blessed to have had the opportunity to interview, meet and see this incredible musician.
Andy now embarks on his tour, making several stops along the east coast between Sunshine Coast and Melbourne over the next month. If you haven’t experienced Andy’s music yet, be sure to check him out on your favourite streaming service now and don’t forget to give him a follow on socials for updates.
See below for a list of dates, locations and venues for Andy’s tour and tickets can be picked up via the link below:
ANDY MARTIN “THE REVERIE TOUR” DATES:
Fri August 19th Black Bear Lodge Brisbane / Meanjin
Sat August 20th Burleigh Bazaar Gold Coast / Yugambeh
Sun August 21st Bearded Dragon Hotel Tamborine / Jambreen
Fri August 26th Solbar Sunshine Coast / Kabi Kabi
Sun September 4th MONA Hobart / Nipaluna
Wed September 7th Mumbo Jumbo’s Terrigal / Awakakal
Thurs September 8th The Royal Bondi Bondi Beach / Boondi
Sat September 10th HiWayBar Sydney / Gadigal
Sun September 11th The North Gong Hotel Wollongong / Woolyungah
Thurs September 15th The Daylesford Hotel Daylesford / Djaddjawurrung
Fri September 16th Penny’s Bandroom Melbourne / Naarm
Sun September 18th Bodriggy Brewing Co. Abbotsford / Bigi Bigi
