Live Review: Tegan and Sara – Sydney Opera House (25.04.13)

Indie darlings Tegan and Sara have come a long way over the last eight years since their first visit to Australia. It was 2005 and they had come as the support act for Little Birdy. When Katy Steele fell ill and cancelled the dates, the Canadian duo solidered on, becoming accidental headliners. It turned out most people had come to see them anyway.

Fast forward to 2013 and after three more Australian tours, the girls have not only returned to the Groovin’ The Moo circuit, which they first played in 2010, but have scored two massive shows at the iconic and coveted Sydney Opera House, an opportunity the girls had been relishing since they first came to Australia. Sure enough, they arrived on stage as humbled musicians, though Tegan had to acknowledge the irony of the timing of it all: “…sorry we just made a pop dance record and are making you sit down. You have to play this place at least once though. That means you made it.” And indeed I dare say it does.

Touring to support their seventh record Heartthrob, it’s fair to say that the girls – and their solid supporting band of four men who round out the sound – have up their sleeves an arsenal of material, from the hits to the myriad of fan favourites. But in spite of that, no one would have blamed them for focusing on their new record. But true professionals – and probably wary of their surrounds more than anything – the sisters gave us a solid mix of new material (indeed with plenty of heavy dance beats that got the crowd on their feet, like with single “Closer”), fan favourites and triple j favourites such as “Back In Your Head” and “Alligator”, which Sara stopped and restarted after she screwed up a lyric, wanting to make sure the audience got the songs they’d paid to see! Polite, professional… perfectionists? However you look at it, it’s these sorts of honest moments that have helped give these Canadians such a strong report with their crowds over the years, growing their fan base with each and every album and subsequent tour. 

That audience, I should point out, is unsurprisingly mostly female; this was one of the few times I’ve felt incredibly outnumbered at a concert. They have managed to strike up huge popularity amongst the lesbian scene, while also being triple j favourites. A rare feat, and one that is certainly to be admired. And live you just can’t help to love them. Their banter is as entertaining as it is adorable, and their music – which varies from an emotional ballad to a pop rock dance explosion – always keeps you engaged. I think my favourite moments in the set, however, were when the band moved away from the stage and the girls performed “Call It Off” and “Nineteen” solo and acoustic in the encore, ahead of “Feel it in my Bones” with the full band closing the night out with the crowd on their feet, shouting out plenty of “I Love You!”s along the way. These two tracks were where you saw the band at their most raw and honest, without the flashing lights and the backing band. Just them, their guitars and their lyrics, which is where I’m sure all their songs are born.

Of the flashier numbers, “You Wouldn’t Like Me”, “Living Room” and recent single “Closer” were my favourite moments, with Tegan’s vocals in the first track mentioned proving particularly impressive. But from start to finish this was simply an impressive show. The lights and projections behind them were top notch, with two cubes emerging from a sheet to a captivating effect. The songs were consistent in their quality and the girls weren’t able to wipe the smiles off their faces, as they effortlessly switched between keys and guitars and then back to just vocals to keep things interesting. I’d be hard pressed to call myself a hardcore fan of Tegan and Sara, but I think I can speak for those that are by saying that this was a very special night indeed.

Tegan and Sara return to the Sydney Opera House tonight and the set will be streamed live to the world via YouTube. We spoke to the girls about this set on Wednesday, and you can see that interview HERE.