[Review] The Tea Party – Enmore Theatre, Sydney 21/06/2024
Enmore Theatre in Sydney was buzzing with excitement as The Tea Party arrived to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their album TRIPtych. The gentlemen from Windsor, Ontario, swiftly reminding everyone why they’ve remained a staple in the rock scene for so long and why Australia has an ever-growing affinity for their self proclaimed ‘Morrocan-roll’.
The packed show kicked off with The Halcyon Days, instantly pulling the crowd into a nostalgic trance. Jeff Martin, with his signature charisma, greeted us, “It’s been a long time between drinks, Sydney, and we have a lot to catch up on, but for now, let’s just play some rock and roll.”.
From the moment they launched into The Bazaar, the crowd was hooked. The seamless blend of Underground with Lou Reed’s Walk on The Wild Side put a lot of smiles on dials, showing off the band’s knack for mixing things up. A personal highlight was when Martin paid homage to Jeff Buckley with Last Goodbye before diving into The Messenger, a touching highlight that left us in awe. I am consistently blown away by the similarity of their live performance to recorded. A friend informed me after the show that the band refuses to practice; they just come out of the gate and play a show like this! Wow!
The middle of the set saw The Tea Party delivering intense performances of Gone and These Living Arms, while the medley of Save Me and Samsara mesmerized. And who could forget the mash-up of Heaven Coming Down and U2‘s With or Without You? The transition was much better received than in earlier performances, which had split fans down the middle and were heckled by some. This time, however, most fans sang along and enjoyed the moment.
Jeff Martin made reference to how talkative he can be at shows and joked that he was called out in a recent review about it. The fans quite obviously love it, as he is met with chants of support ‘speak up Jeff!’. Perhaps this comment got into his head, because if you didn’t know in advance, you would never know it was an anniversary tour as there was very little mention of the TRIPtych album itself. It’s especially odd considering this anniversary tactic has been the basis of their tours for the past half-decade, likely due to the lack of new albums.
While tracks from TRIPtych were performed, parts of the album were cut in favor of usual crowd-pleasing classics, it was a slight shame not to hear the full album. Similarly, fans of the band’s 2004 album Seven Circles, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, were left begging for a track or two.
Temptation wrapped up the main set with a burst of energy, Martin giving the audience a chance to take over vocals for a moment, before leaving the crowd hungry for more. The encore was pure magic. Kicking off with Winter Solstice on the actual winter solstice date was a perfect touch. But the real showstopper was Sister Awake, which they blended with covers of The Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black and David Bowie’s Heroes. It was a powerful finale that had the entire theatre on their feet, singing along.
With only two shows left on this tour—June 23 in Thirroul and a sold-out performance at Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane on June 25—the opportunities to see The Tea Party on this run are dwindling.
Tonight’s performance at the Enmore Theatre was more than just a concert; it felt like a reunion with old friends. The band took us on a journey through their hits, mixing in surprises that kept the night exciting and memorable. As the final notes rang out and the lights came up, it was clear that The Tea Party still holds a special place in the hearts of their Aussie fans, old and new.
