The Forum was the perfect back drop for Brisbane born Conrad Sewell’s LIFE tour. The main event space, equally awe inspiring in both its aesthetic intricacy and beauty, was filled with all ages, from the underaged to the elderly. 

By 7pm, there was already a spate of eager concert-goers, lining the paint filled Hosier Lane. By 8pm, the mosh pit was filling up and those who were smart enough to purchase a private booth were settling into their comfortable abodes for the evening. The bar had a Conrad Sewell cocktail special on offer, cleverly named ‘Firestone’ after the singer’s 2014 collaboration with Kygo.

Hazlett, another Brisbane musician, was the wonderful supporting talent for the evening. With just a guitar in tow, he sang a mix of original songs and some well received covers during his time on stage. ‘You’re the one that I want’ from Grease was beautifully rendered to become a ballad which had the crowd enthralled. For anyone who may not have had the privilege of listening to Hazlett’s work before, I would strongly encourage you to look him up on Spotify, or however you prefer to listen to your music, and check them out. His songs are easy to listen to, and my personal favourite at the moment is ‘Fireworks’.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Hazlett after the show, and he appeared to be genuinely appreciative of the opportunity to have performed at this gig. While a little shy at first, Hazlett had a wonderful sense of humour and was just an all round great guy, even posing for a fun photo just for us.

Following Hazlett’s set, it was time for Conrad to take the stage. The stage was set with drums, a piano and guitars, with the singer’s name boldly displayed behind. 

The crowd roared when Conrad appeared, opening with ‘Changing’ and then ‘Unbound’, just some of the many fan favourites to be played that night.

Conrad’s lyrics are at times brutally honest, talking about his struggles with drugs and alcohol, like in his new songs ‘Come Clean’ and ‘Love Me Anyway’, which he played on tour as well. Many of his other songs come back to the theme of love, but the way he is able to go beyond the beauty of it, and talk about love in all of its messiness, is surely part of what makes his hits so relatable.

At times throughout the concert, Conrad was accompanied by strings, which only added to the experience. He also incorporated some covers, including ‘I Still Call Australia Home’. In fact, the concert was full of surprises. At one point Conrad left the stage while a speech played throughout the hall. Having disguised himself in a black hoody, the singer and his entourage managed to make their way through the masses of people incognito, surprising fans by later appearing in the middle of the Forum, perched upon the tech booth. That wasn’t the only surprise of the night, though. Much-loved Australian songstress Delta Goodrem graced the stage in a dazzling black sparkling outfit, and the duo performed ‘Landslide’. The heartfelt duet was just beautiful; those in attendance were both shocked by the guest appearance, and in awe of the musical talent on stage, erupting in cheers, screams and applause throughout.

Conrad, just before he played his final song, said to the audience that this is just the beginning…I tend to agree with him. Conrad’s musical journey has been filled with great ups and downs so far, but with so many hit songs already under his belt, having already toured as a support act for artists like Ed Sheeran, and now coming off his own Australian tour, there’s no doubting that this singer is something special. The way that Conrad was able to command the room with his incredibly pure vocals was astounding, and he seemed to be blown away when his fans sang some of his famous lyrics back to him at the top of their lungs.

Of course, the star ended with ‘Healing Hands’. 

This concert was amazing, and I highly recommend both Conrad Sewell’s and Hazlett’s music. I for one, cannot wait to see what’s next for these two.