Nessa Barrett at Forum Melbourne
Performing two packed shows at the Forum, American singer-songwriter Nessa Barrett sold out two nights across a busy weekend in December. We attended her all-ages show on Sunday night and enjoyed every minute of her last show in Melbourne during her first tour in our country.
Opening act Oliver Cronin came down from Byron Bay to dance and party with the enthusiastic audience. From opening track Great Minds Think Alike, his nostalgic Memories and future-facing Hope You’re Doing Well drew cheers from the audience in a set worthy of a headline show. Alongside his band, Cronin performed everything from his hit The Way You Like It, that some fans knew from his TikTok Lives, to handing out disposable cameras during 10,000 Hours. The set resonated with the crowd, and concluding on Boys Don’t Cry among some other hits, he left an unforgettable mark demonstrating why he’s a new addition to our ones to watch.
Nessa Barrett‘s first visit to Melbourne was a spectacular; the night kicking off with a grand entrance, as Barrett emerged to the opening beats of scare myself, accompanied by clips of Betty Boop dancing in hell. The audience’s energy surged during american jesus, as she embraced the local spirit, picking up an Australian flag from the crowd and playfully altering the lyrics to ‘Australian Jesus’ at the end. As the mood shifted to a sultry, Lana Del Rey-esque ambiance for tired of california and heartbreak in the hamptons, Barrett addressed the crowd speaking candidly about it being her last show in Australia. Tales of selling out the show, how much fun she’s had on tour in Australia and her eagerness to return only further excited an already excitable audience as she performed madhouse alongside a bunch of clown and circus imagery.
The next part of the show was a change in the mood with Barrett asking the audience, ‘Who is ready to cry?’, which set the tone for a heartfelt rendition of club heaven; dedicated to losing a loved one and the healing processes involved. We’re told there is one thing guaranteed for the show – tears will be shed. In the next song lie, we take a brief pause as Barrett stops to help an audience member, before launching into the front row during lovebomb to spend some time with her fans up the front. Barrett then sat down with her guitarist Dan for an intimate performance of motel whore, before performing sincerely and lucky star – a lesser-known gem that captivated the audience and left a mark.
Her performance included a haunting cover of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy, before the biggest cheers of the night during die first – where we all got a little emotional. Performing plane to paris on a stool, an intimate approach to the song hanging off of every word, the energy surged again during dying on the inside – a fan favourite that had the entire venue singing along. As the night progressed, gaslight ended with her yelling ‘slay’ to the crowd before performing our favourite moment of the night during the one that should’ve got away – which was just incredible. In a lighthearted moment, when asked to partake in the Australian tradition of a shoey, Barrett humorously declined, quipping, ‘Not today, not ever – it’s disgusting’, much to the amusement of her fans.
The set concluded with an unforgettable finale featuring girl in new york; a recent release that has already seen remarkable recognition from fans. The night came to a resounding close with i hope ur miserable until ur dead and BANG BANG!, during which Barrett ran around the stage, declaring she had saved the best for last. Barrett’s first Australian tour was completed, and we can only hope that Barrett stays true to her word and returns to Australia to see us all again real soon. We will be there.