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Liam Budge and a Sold-Out Show

Liam Budge Photo: Supplied
Liam Budge
Photo: Supplied

“Cheers!” announces one lady, clinking her glass with three other women, two minutes before he was set to take the stage. The Street Theatre room is draped in a gold backdrop with leaves embellished on it and dim lighting gave way to a full house, with guests hovered around circled tables to hear the Canberran-based Award-winning Jazz singer/songwriter, Liam Budge.

Rated Four Stars by The Australian, the ANU-graduate didn’t shy during his jazz performance. Brought up in a family that encouraged him to learn classical cello and singing in choirs, the singer pursued music as a degree and profession after a gap year from high school.

“It’s definitely a blessing to be able to do music as a profession,” Liam Budge says. “I’m very lucky to be able to do it full-time and perform full-time… It’s like having a conversation on stage! It’s great!”

Photo Source: Jessica Taulaga
Liam Budge Concert Photo Source: Jessica Taulaga

Dressed in a dark coat and black top, the casual look didn’t affect the captivating voice of Liam Budge. Performing songs from his debut album, Liam Budge, along with the Quintet; love was manifested throughout the room, with a song even titled after his now-wife, Bettina! (Quite a romantic and very sweet, if you ask me!)

The 2013 album was described as an “impressive debut… destined for wide acclaim,” by The Australian and that sure was no word of a lie.

The gentleman that Liam Budge is, ever so often offering the stage to his fellow band members for bass, drum, cello and piano solos, manages to hold the audience’s attention while sharing the stage.

A long-time fan, Rena along her daughter Skye, have been following the singer since his career started.

“I heard him the very first time at the Fyshwick Markets on a cold winter’s day on a Saturday afternoon, probably about three years ago.” Rena said. “He was just starting out and he was selling his CD’s for $10 and I was the only one there! I sat down for the whole hour clapping and it was just him and a friend of his who was playing on the keyboard and it was just fabulous!

“I saw that he was playing tonight and said to me daughter ‘Come on, he’s great, you’ll love it!’”

Photo Source: Jessica Taulaga
Liam Budge Show Tickets Photo Source: Jessica Taulaga

Liam Budge, who travels to and from New York City for music ventures and tours around Australia, has since relocated to Sydney until May this year to spend time writing.

“I’ve moved on from writing about love… and trying to touch on topics I feel are important at the moment,” he says.  “I’m looking at writing from different parts of the experience of the refugees.”

With his single, In the Mourning, it took the audience by surprise,

 “I watched the tide come rolling in, rolling in,

I watched the tide come rolling in, early in the morning.

And I see the ship come sailing in, sailing and sailing in,

And I see the ship come sailing in, early in the morning.

 

You’ll never leave home they say, home they say, home they say

You’ll never leave home they say, early in the morning.”

 

For a few seconds once the song had ended, there was complete silence, even a pin-drop could be heard in-between. The entire room had stilled. No noise. No movement. Just silence. Budge’s ability to capture the audience’s attention in those three minutes and perform about an important matter in today’s age, amazed the audience before filling the room with claps of appreciation.

“The new stuff I’m writing draws on current political topics, stuff that interest me, that I think will be emotive and worthwhile putting into music and making a difference,” Liam Budge states.

The Liam Budge April Jazz Tour kicked off in Canberra and the singer will be touring to Melbourne and Sydney throughout April to promote and expose his music.

By Jessica Taulaga

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