Stephen Sanchez is back in Melbourne for his Angel Face tour, performing two nights at Forum Melbourne and bringing along his vintage charm and vibrant stage presence. Less than a year from his debut tour in Australia, the young singer-songwriter continues to captivate audiences with his nostalgic sound that echoes the golden age of the 50s and 60s; delivering performances that blend a modern sensibility with a classic style.
Opening for Stephen Sanchez was Australian singer-songwriter GRAACE. Bringing her alt-pop tunes to her favourite venue in Australia, we heard popular song SOS, her latest release Jealous Type, a cover of Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody as well as a glimpse of unreleased track Downgraded. Wrapping up the support slot with the popular Last Night, GRAACE well and truly warmed up the crowd for Sanchez’s arrival.
Before long, Stephen Sanchez and his band were performing opening track Something About Her, amongst a blast of flashing lights and silhouettes. Evangeline (sung from the perspective of the Troubadour Sanchez, for those following the lore) went off without a hitch, followed by I Need You Most of All and Only Girl, which showcased Sanchez’s amazing vocal range alongside the band in full force.
His rendition of Roy Orbison’s Oh, Pretty Woman was the perfect cover, complete with a playful shout-out to the women in the crowd, while the introduction of new song from the deluxe album The Other Side was met with resounding cheers from the audience. Couples were told to embrace their lovers for Doesn’t Do Me Any Good while No One Knows was performed taking note of all the beautiful statues in the venue.
The night continued with Be More and Fame or Fortune, during which Sanchez shared personal anecdotes, including his travels back and forth between Australia and the US to see someone special, sharing the profound impact his relationship has had on his life and his music. Fans threw up gifts including stuffed toys, Australian flags and Tim Tams, as the crowd started moving for Emotional Vacation and the most energetic song of the night, Howlin’ at Wolves.
The show closed with a bang as we heard one of the highest notes we’ve ever heard during High, before Stephen’s biggest track to date Until I Found You was performed with an entire venue sing-a-long. Taking time to look at the stars inside the venue, joke around and even perform a Cher impression of a Coldplay song, we were treated to one final song as an encore with the absolute belter Shake as the night came to an end. Stephen and the band truly gave their all, and we were extremely thankful to have seen him on his biggest Australian shows to date. No doubt we will be queuing up to get tickets the next time he decides to visit.