The problem with The Voice - Sob stories and lack of star quality

Reality programs have been around for decades now and a staple of the reality TV market is the talent quest. Currently in Australia, the seventh season of The Voice is screening there have been so many sob stories that producers could actually make a show called The Sob Story.

Now before anyone starts by saying that some of us must be heartless I'd like to refute that and say it's not correct at all. The competitions are supposed to be talent shows and the program is called The Voice, so it should be focused on exactly that, rather than the sob stories such as being an amputee, losing your father or another parent or sibling.

Sure, most of those with sob stories do have genuine talent and that's fantastic. That's why they're on air, but the big issue is that they often lack two things.

1. The X Factor
2. The image

 Now let's address the first part of the package, the x factor. The x factor (yes it's a TV show but that's not what we're talking about here) is an undefinable thing. It's a quality that can't be measured. Some people have it and some people don't. Most people don't have it. Those who have made it like Delta Goodrem, Josh Radnor, Green Day, Taylor Swift, Stan Walker, Boy George, Simon Cowell, Katy Perry, Joe Jonas and thousands of others, all have the x factor. They all have a star quality. They have something that keeps people wanting to tune in. 

With their personalities and their star quality they have been able to forge successful careers. Even New Zealand's Lorde has been able to. She has star quality yet she isn't necessarily the world's greatest singer, though she is talented. The star quality is a trait that encourages people to buy music or watch the person's movies or television shows.

Without it, it doesn't matter how much talent a person has, they simply won't have longevity.

The next part of the package is the image. Every celebrity around has an image. Delta Goodrem is the good girl, the best friend, the girl next door, the down to earth, genuine and kind person, meanwhile Taylor Swift is the romantic, Stan Walker is the boy from the wrong side of town, Boy George is the quirky guy with a strong personality. These personality traits give them a point of difference and help distinguish themselves from other stars. It gives them their audience.

The image is also about the looks. As much as we'd like to say otherwise, sex sells and that's why the most popular artists are generally sex symbols who are in their 20s or 30s. In some rare cases they're in their 40s or 50s but those are normally the established ones who are continuing with their career.

Most of the contestants on The Voice do not have the right image. They're either overweight, obese (which is unhealthy but you can read other blogs I've written about obesity), too old or they have a physical disability that won't bode well for a long lasting career.

If you look to every single previous season of The Voice Australia, none of the artists have remained in the public eye and that is because although they have a great voice they simply do not have the x factor or the image, and without those things they simply will not last in the industry.

Another sad fact is that if these contestants were going to make it and had what it takes they wouldn't need a talent quest to do so. It's the same overseas, only a handful of musicians like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson have had long lasting careers. Australia's Dami Im, Guy Sebastian, Stan Walker and Sophie Monk have been able to break through the mould but they probably would have made it eventually anyway.

Instead of focusing on the sob stories and what makes good television the producers of shows like The Voice Australia need to go back to what the shows were originally about which was talent and singing ability rather than a back story.

The back story and sob stories also appear scripted because they are so regular. That in turn reduces their meaning and impact.

The Voice needs to stop allowing previous contestants of reality singing competitions to enter. If they placed in the top 10 or at the very least the top 5 that should automatically disqualify them from entering. Those who have released albums and had professional management also shouldn't be allowed to enter either. The contests should be for unsigned and undiscovered artists not those who are already established and have a strong following.

I return to my previous point. If these contestants had star quality then they would already be stars and they would have lasted but the simple fact is they don't have star quality and that's why they have to go on these karaoke competition shows.

Why does the Royal Family dress conservatively?

Lately I've been wondering why Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle suddenly changed their style when they joined the Royal Family.

Before she was married to Prince William and joined the Royal Family Kate Middleton was so stylish and had a fun loving personality. She wore the type of outfits you'd expect any young 20 something to wear. She looked easygoing and as if she was a free spirit. You can see the evidence of this in the image below. 

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 Source: https://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/celebrities/article/Kate-Middleton-Meghan-Markle-old-photos-12407986.php?ipid=artrecirc 

Then of course, she met Prince William, started dating him, became engaged and her style completely changed and became dull and drab. The mainstream media (MSM) however will still say she is a style icon and looks fabulous but really it's like she gave up her personality when she joined the Royal Family or PR (post royalty).

You can see this in her wedding gown. Now of course, everyone gushed over it but it's absolutely hideous and makes her look like an old lady. It doesn't reflect her genuine personality.

Source: http://people.com/royals/pippa-middleton-wear-two-wedding-dresses-kate-middleton/

Most 29 year olds would not wear dresses such as the two that she wore. They are extremely conservative and don't reflect the personality we saw in earlier images. Nor do her current outfits.

Source: https://www.aol.com/article/2015/12/21/2015-wrap-up-a-year-of-style-with-kate-middleton/21286539/

In recent pictures she is emulating the Queen with her coloured trench coats and hats. She also wore a maxi dress and it doesn't seem like Kate's style. Here is another throwback image to before she became part of the Royal Family. She dressed as if she was having fun and was so much more laid back whereas now she dresses extremely conservatively.

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com.au/celebrity/kate-middleton-style-before-duchess-12387

 A similar style transition/evolution has happened with Prince Harry's bride to be Meghan Markle.

Here she was before she started dating Prince Harry.

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/2451704/meghan-markle-prince-harry-age-suits-actress-parents/

She also had a fun style and was casual. She liked sparkly clothing. Now that she is engaged to Prince Harry (and due to marry him on the 19th of May) things have changed and she's way more conservative.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/style/919404/Meghan-Markle-pictures-style-fashion-Prince-Harry-Meghan-Markle-pictures

Now that she is engaged to Prince Harry her style was changed as well and she dresses in trench coats, much like her sister in law Kate, and the Queen as well.

 

So my question is, why do members of the Royal Family have to dress conservatively? Why can't they just be themselves?

Basically it amounts to this. The Royal Family are dictated to by Queen Elizabeth. She dresses conservatively and favours a corporate look, so therefore her underlings like Camilla, Kate and Meghan do as well. When the Queen no longer holds her title and Camilla is Queen Consort to Prince Charles things might change but until then there is a strict dress code that is tighter than the toughest of workplaces. That is why we never see anyone in the Royal Family wearing short skirts and dresses, or baring their arms like members of other Royal families around the world do.

Unlike Queen Letizia of Spain, Kate and Meghan would never be allowed to wear an outfit like the blow.

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com.au/celebrity/why-british-royalty-dresses-so-conservatively-15107

Things may of course change in the future, but for now conservative dressing is expected of the British Royal Family. It all sounds a little unfair really and I wonder if the Royal Family members are allowed to dress casually when they're at home and out of the public eye, or if they must always uphold a certain dress code.

The Voice Australia - Blind Auditions - Episode 4 - Thoughts on contestants

Now call me crazy but when I watch a reality television show, which isn't very often, I do expect the rules to be adhered to.

For example, if there was a cooking show I would expect the contestants on the show to cook their dishes (I don't watch cooking shows FYI) and if it was a home renovation show I would expect the contestants to renovate their homes not hire a master builder (again, i don't watch these either). On MAFS I would expect couples to legally get married (which they don't do but I'm not focusing on that show either as I don't watch it).

I do however watch The Voice. It's the one reality show that I can't help but not tune into. I watch it for entertainment and I watch it because I'm a huge fan of Delta Goodrem. She's my favourite Australian singer and basically my generation's Kylie Minogue (who by the way is featured on the cover of the May edition of Vogue Australia to celebrate turning 50 and the release of her new album, Golden). I also watch it because as a singer myself I like to see how other singers perform and I like to watch the judges to see what experience they can teach the contestants, and let's be honest, Joe Jonas is also hot, and Boy George has a quirky personality. Kelly isn't my favourite but she has her place.

Anyway, I'm going off on a tangent. The basic premise of The Voice is that singers go onto the show and sing acapella. In some cases, they'll sing with a backing track or they'll bring their guitar.

Well, that completely changed with tonight's episode of The Voice. There was a contestant called Sam Perry who bought DJ equipment and did what's known as vocal looping or beat boxing. The judges loved it, with all four turning around and he ended up choosing to go on Kelly's team.

So should the guy have been allowed on The Voice Australia's seventh season? Some would say yes, and that the show's rigged anyway so who cares?! I disagree and would say that no he shouldn't have been allowed on the show.

There was nothing wrong with what he did, in fact he is talented, but as a DJ, not as a singer, and his performance had absolutely no place on The Voice. The show is supposed to focus on singing, not how well someone can mix a track. That's not what the competition is about. Again, just to reiterate, there was nothing wrong with what Sam Perry did. He is a talented DJ and definitely has skill but he should have entered a contest like Australia's Got Talent, or even X Factor Australia, rather than The Voice.

We'll see whether or not he has the talent to go far in the competition but he may struggle with the live battles. He may however surprise, but when he's up against contestants that have been singing for several years and performed live, it's unlikely that he'll make it beyond the top 10. If he's lucky though he'll make it to the top 5 but he won't win the competition.

Obviously Channel 9 were pulling a ratings stunt and that's why he was allowed through into the competition. Had it not been for the articles about his upcoming performance I would not have tuned in. I didn't watch the last season and I got bored and stopped watching midway through Season 5 as well. I did however watch Season 4 all the way through.

Of course, we all know that reality television shows are rigged but allowing a beatboxer/DJ into the competition doesn't seem right.

It also seems wrong that a 15 year old should be allowed in the competition as well. The minimum age should be 16. I can only guess that 15 year olds are now allowed to enter because The Voice Kids was axed, and so there has to be an outlet for them. There are questions about how they will cope with the pressure though. Even the adults who make it far in the competition struggle with the pressure and it must be even worse for the kids because they simply don't have the experience to understand that it's just a competition and that it won't actually lead to a lasting career. Some contestants overseas have been the exception to this rule though with Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood from American Idol making it far in the entertainment industry. Locally Stan Walker and Guy Sebastian also have, but they're the exceptions to the rules. Out of the six previous The Voice seasons, not one winner has gone on to have a lasting career. They have all faded into oblivion.

Well, we'll see what happens with Sam Perry this season but given he isn't even a singer it's unlikely he will be able to compete with other singers in the contest. That said, it sounded like auto tune was being used for all performances in tonight's show which is different to previous years. So that raises another question, just how talented are the singers in the show? I will say this as my closing comment though, the talent this year seems so much better than previous years and the judges also seem to have a really good rapport going and care more about the art.

This may just be the best, even if controversial season yet.

Why it's better to meet guys the real way, rather than through dating apps

Remember back in the early 2000s when internet dating was a brand new experience and people weren't really sure what to think of it? Some people were afraid of it while others were open to trying it. I was in the group that was open to trying it and started pretty early on. Unlike others I just saw it as another way to meet guys. You had a profile you could look at and if you liked what you saw then you would message or wink at the guy. You'd spend some time chatting and then if they were "worthy" you'd arrange a time to meet up in real life. As with anything, the date would either be really great, or completely crap and you'd potentially see eachother again. If you were lucky then it would turn into a relationship.

Well fast forward a few years and Tinder, the dating app is the new version of internet dating. It is nothing like what internet dating used to be though. Instead of messaging a few times first, it's straight to the chase of wanting random hook ups and basically there's just no effort anymore. It's way too easy to swipe left and to "unmatch" from someone. Politeness has gone from dating and it seems to be nothing more than a numbers game.

That ignores the fact that profiles aren't even completely filled out. How can you know you want to meet someone if they haven't taken the time to fill out their profile? How can you know if you'll even gel and get along in real life? The simple answer is that you can't. You're going in blind and it's not like at a pub where you can get to know someone in five minutes because on Tinder people can choose what to say and what not to say more easily. Basically, it's less genuine and it's more fake.

So how exactly do you meet guys without using Tinder? If you're in your late 20s or early 30s it's nearly impossible if all your friends are in relationships or married. Most people in these age brackets simply don't like to go out like they used to and have become what you would have deemed boring when you were 18. It's one thing to have responsibilities such as work and bills, but to stop having fun is just silly.

Dating apps are useless if you want to meet guys with similar interests because as I mentioned, around half of them simply don't bother filling out their profile so how can you know if you want to talk to them? For the record, if a guy doesn't have his profile filled out, which takes all of two minutes, then I simply don't bother. The same goes for guys who send one word messages. A one word message is quite simply lazy and comes across as unfriendly and anti social.

The only real options for those who are still single is to join clubs. If you love sports then join a sports club, whereas if performing is your thing then join an acting club or start taking acting classes. Not only will you learn more about your craft you'll also hopefully meet singles and if you don't then the chances are that your classmates will know some singles and what's even cooler is that they'll likely have the same interests as you.

There's a lot of stigma still around going out alone but if you love music and live performances then go by yourself. At the very least you'll end up seeing a great band or bands and best case scenario you could find yourself meeting a guy with very similar interests to you.

Basically, despite what the MSM says, dating apps are absolutely pointless because the only guys who use them are overweight/obese, have severe issues or can't even string a sentence together. It's better to meet guys in real life than waste time with dating apps. The guys who do use dating apps tend to be really boring and only send messages such as "how are you?" and don't really share their interests, and it's just offputting because if you can't find a common ground then how can you strike up a real conversation?

Maybe as people have aged towards their late 20s to early 30s they've lost their passion and spark and don't actually have any interests, in which case, as I mentioned, Tinder is pointless because those aren't the types of guys I'd want to know anyway.

So I guess my question is, why do people lose their passion and spark when they reach their late 20s or early 30s? What exactly happens? This isn't really that old yet it's like they've lost their fire.

I don't know about you but I can't be bothered with Tinder. I'd rather meet guys the real way, through experiences rather than silly dating apps that are filled with time wasting, boring losers who have no interests and can't even string a sentence together.

Sydney just needs to find its identity following the lockout laws

Imagine this, you're at uni and all you've ever known is drinking, it's all that your mates have ever done so when the state government makes it harder for you, you begin to revolt and get annoyed because you believe that there is nothing to do at night time.

That's fair enough, but the problem is that it ignores something else, and don't get me wrong, I'll just state here and now that I am actually the first person to flout the liquor laws on New Year's Eve. I don't cause trouble with my mates though. We're always well behaved and if there's kids nearby then we tone it down a bit. That's just considerate.

So here's the issue, there are a bunch of journalists running around saying that Sydney is dead and that it's got no soul. They're saying that people in Sydney have nothing to do and that we're an embarrassment. This is despite us putting on the best New Year's Eve show IN THE WORLD. That's right. IN THE WORLD. Nobody beats us at New Year's Eve, mind you the Opera House and Harbour Bridge certainly help with that.

The thing is every city has things to do if you look and they do not necessarily just need to revolve around drinking like some people seem to think. Here's a list I have taken the liberty of compiling to show that Sydney is still a vibrant city.

1 - See a live local or international band

If you have been following my blog (as about 20 of you have regularly been doing) then you would know that I attend A LOT of shows and that number is going to get absolutely massive. This year I am seeing Radnor and Lee, Radnor and Lee (no that's not a typo, I'm seeing them in both Sydney and Melbourne), Celine Dion, Pink, Katy Perry, Kesha, Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift and Shania Twain, and that is after already seeing Alanis Morissette, Robbie Williams, Lana Del Ray and Sheryl Crow & Melissa Etheridge. It also doesn't even factor in that there are so many other shows on this year including Simple Plan (which I'm tossing up - I saw them back in 2005 in Auckland when they played the North Shore Events Centre with Green Day) and Aussie artists Missy Higgins and Vance Joy along with a myriad of others. If music is your gig then you will be sure to have a lot of fun because so many artists are stopping by Sydney this year. Basically if a band or singer is coming downunder you can bet that they're gonna come to Sydney.

2 - Go to the theatre

Sydney seems to be a city that's forgotten that culture comes in many shapes and forms and it's not just about drinking. You could go to a theatrical performance. If you like musicals then check out the Lyric Theatre, State Theatre, Enmore Theatre (although this is mostly used as a music venue) or the Capitol Theatre. There are shows that run all year round and no matter what genre you like there is bound to be an act that will thrill and excite you so check out the usual ticketing sites and find out what's on in Sydney.

3 - BE IN a show or start a band

If you have a musical talent or you like being in front of the camera or on stage then why not start a band yourself and play some gigs? There's literally nothing stopping you and if you're good enough then maybe one day journalists will credit you as reviving Sydney's nightlife and music scene (that's another blog all together though) and that would be pretty awesome. You may even find that you do so well that you are in demand to play shows every weekend. Turn that hobby into a realistic career choice.

4 - Go to a comedy show

So you think you're quite funny do you? Or maybe you don't but you want to hear other people tell jokes? Well then. Spend the money and go to a comedy gig. Support your local artists and the industry. If people spend money in the industry then it encourages others to get out there and perform, and that means there will be much more choice than there currently is, although there are a lot of Aussie and international comedians coming to town. Book your ticket and have a laugh. This city is serious enough with house prices. We need to find a way to laugh. Maybe I should do a comedy gig (yeah nah, comedy's not my thing, but music and acting are).

5 - Go to the footy or cricket

Okay it's probably still a sore topic for us Sydneysiders given the recent ball tampering debacle with Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft but if you enjoy sport then go to a game. Don't just sit at home watching it on TV then whinge about the state government investing in sports and entertainment venues. Actually take advantage of the improved facilities and have a night out. There's no way you should be stuck at home, and if you really enjoy your sport then join a local sports club and play sports in the evenings and weekends. You'll also find that you meet more people, most of whom will share similar interests to you.

6 - Attend the movies

You may not want to spend a lot of money and that's all good. Go to the movies then. Take a few hours and see your favourite actor on the big screen. Get lost in the plot and take some time out. Again, the more people actually go out the better it will be for all businesses but if people are staying home then why would venues stay open? That would just waste their money.

7 - Go out to dinner

Most people can't be bothered cooking so instead of using one of the food delivery apps, head along to a restaurant. Make a night of it. Support local business, and catch up with friends. You'll find that you notice just how awesome Sydney actually is and that there is plenty to do if you look for it. Again, just like going to the movies, the more people go out the better it is for the city because businesses will be encouraged to stay open but if everyone is staying at home then businesses simply won't open.

These are just a few of the many things that people can actually do in Sydney if they are really bored at home. The city does not just require people to drink, though I have to say this, and I hate saying this because I love Sydney but if people just wanna go out and drink or stay at home then not only does Sydney have a nightlife problem and an identity crisis, it also has a lack of culture and Melbourne takes the lead.

Culture doesn't just happen if people keep to themselves and live in their little bubbles (that's yet another blog) without engaging or participating in activities in the city.

Sydney has so much to offer and you just have to look for it or genuinely want to find it and if you're worried about doing these things alone then who cares? Just do it. You may find that you end up meeting awesome people who share your interests and will make the city better because they'll want to join you when you do all of these things.

Sydney isn't the problem, it's people's mindsets that are the issue and people need to stop living in bubbles and pay attention to what's around them because if they don't they'll miss out on a heap of awesome experiences.

The city needs to find out who it is outside of drinking and nightclubbing. They're not the only options.

Music Review: Have you met Radnor & Lee

I despise blogs or articles that start this way with such a cliched or cringeworthy sentence but given how much of a How I Met Your Mother fan I am I couldn't resist (and for those wondering, I'm definitely a Ted, well mostly Ted, with bits of Robin thrown in for good measure but I'm mostly Ted) starting that way.

Anyway, if you haven't heard the news already, and you'd have had to have been living under a rock, the actor Josh Radnor who played the lead character Ted has teamed up with Sydney born folk singer, Ben Lee, who has been recording for the last 25 years, since he was 14 years old, for what is a brilliant collaboration called Radnor & Lee.

There are no prizes for guessing how that name came about.

The duo announced a tour of Australia's east coast next month and they'll be playing a series of small intimate gigs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with the following dates and venues:

Sydney - Metro Theatre 20th May 2018
Melbourne - Athenaeum Theatre 19th May 2018
Brisbane - The Triffid 17th May 2018

These are all small venues with a capacity of no more than 1100, with Sydney's Metro Theatre holding the biggest audience and Melbourne's with 1000, meanwhile Brisbane's is even more intimate with a capacity of only 700.

Unlike stadium gigs these will be extremely intimate and personal. It will be very much like seeing a local band play at your local pub, and in a weird kind of way that's exactly what it will be.

Now, you may have seen Josh Radnor interviewed saying that he wants people to move on from Ted (sorry Josh, that's not gonna happen, you did such a great job that we're always going to see a part of Ted in you because for nine years, you really were Ted Mosby) and focus on his new artistic endeavours. He had also said in multiple interviews that he was aware some people would go simply because he was in HIMYM but that there'd be a cool transition where people became genuine fans of Radnor and Lee.

Well, I'm pretty open to music from all artists, in the weekend I saw Melissa Etheridge who I hadn't been a fan of at a concert that Sheryl Crow was also playing at (that show was amazing btw and even though I went for Sheryl Crow, I was impressed by Melissa Etheridge)

So with that in mind I thought I might as well familiarise myself with the music of Radnor and Lee so I bought the debut album.

The album opens with Be like the Being, a song with led vocals by Josh Radnor that asks philosophical questions. Despite being a supposedly serious song, this track is extremely positive and uplifting. It's got undertones of country and an Irish jig. It really sets the tone for the rest of the album.

The next track, Doorstep, carries on with the upbeat melodies and the storytelling. It is very much a reflection song about where you've been and where you're going. Only actors (which both Radnor and Lee are) could write an album that really tells a story.

Another standout track is It's Yours Once You Give It Away, which is about letting go of possessions and not being materialistic; and that you get true freedom when you let go of certain notions and ideas that you've held.

The next tune is Still Though We Should Dance and it is really a continuation of the first track of the album. It's another reflection song, and songs like this can either be really sad or really happy. It depends on the composition. This is one particular composition that will have you dancing as the title of the song itself says.

Now, I could run you through the rest of the songs on the album but honestly I don't want to do that. I want you to actually buy this album and hear how great it is for yourself.

I can't speak for other people given the size of the gigs but I really hope that Radnor and Lee are around for quite some time and those of us lucky enough to be going to the early gigs will be able to tell the story in 10 - 20 years time of how we were there when the band first started up.

Now that would be a cool story.

The album's only available online and I give it a 4/5. In this particular case it loses points because it's only available online and it only has 11 tracks. I would like more, but there have been hints of a second album in the works.

Check it out for yourself and buy tickets when they go on sale tomorrow at 10am AEST.

Concert Review: Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge - ICC, Sydney, April 7th 2018

Anyone who was growing up in the 90s would have heard of the names Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge. The two singers were huge in the 90s with multiple hits so when they announced that they would be bringing their, Make Rock Great Again double headlining tour downunder it was mandatory to buy a ticket.

I bought my ticket for Sheryl Crow and wasn't really a fan of Melissa Etheridge so I was simply going for Sheryl Crow and thought I would stay for Melissa Etheridge but wasn't expecting too much.

Unlike most concerts, Sheryl Crow opened very promptly after the scheduled start time. Her set started with Everyday is a Winding Road and she performed all her other hits including Soak Up the Sun, All I Wanna Do, My Favourite Mistake, The First Cut Is the Deepest, If it Makes You Happy, A Change Would Do You Good, Strong Enough and more recent hits, The Best of Times, Halfway There and others.

During the set she joked about how much she loved Sydney and wanted to stay here and perform at the ICC every night. It was extremely genuine and she connected with the audience brilliantly. The only criticism I have is that she made her political views known. I think it's great when people are interested in politics but when I go to a show I don't want to hear the musician's opinions. I just want to hear them sing. It is alienating to the audience to discuss their political views.

She performed a song with Melissa Etheridge and then closed with I Shall Believe.

There was a brief intermission of about half an hour before Melissa took the stage. As I mentioned, I wasn't a fan of Melissa prior to the concert but decided to stay for her set because a) I'd paid for my ticket and b) It would be rude to walk out midway through someone's set. I was also hoping there would be a "Wow, she's amazing!" moment, and there was.

It was when she performed Come to My Window. A group of around five guys went right to the front in what was not technically a dance floor/mosh pit area. They were there for about 30 seconds before security tried to move them on. Midway through the song, Melissa commented on it and security ended up letting them stay. The crowd ended up getting bigger with another 20-30 people joining them.

Melissa's voice is extremely deep and throughout her set of 12 songs, which was shorter than Sheryl's at 14 songs but she kept on thanking the audience throughout her set which was amazing.

There were moments when both Melissa and Sheryl were singing where they were just jamming with their bands and it didn't feel like they were actually performing a concert for over 8000 people. It felt that way because of the intimate setting of the ICC (which you'll recall I noted after seeing Alanis Morrisette playing back in January) and because it was a genuine rock show with elements of country.

The audience for Sheryl's set was subdued and mellow, but it went absolutely wild for Melissa. They have two completely different styles and personalities but they really do complement eachother.

I would give Sheryl an 8/10. She loses points because of her political comment but her actual performance was well worth a 20 year wait of being a fan before seeing her. I would give Melissa a 7 out of 10 because given I wasn't a fan I didn't actually know any of her songs so i spent some of the time googling the lyrics but towards the end of the set I was more present and in the moment. The turning point was during I Want to Come Over, which was clearly about an ex she was stalking who she wasn't over, and I can relate to that, and it was incredible when she acknowledged the audience in Come to My Window. She was pleasantly surprising.

Overall, as a double headlining tour I'd have to give it a 7.5 out of 10. It would have been even better if there had been big screens. Even though I had an excellent seat it would've been cool to have close ups of their faces to see their emotion when singing. They are truly talented performers and this is what music should be about. It should be stripped back, natural, focused on the voice and the message behind it rather than a whole bunch of editing and autotune.

Concert Review: Lana Del Ray - Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney

Lana Del Ray's musical style can be best described as melancholy and alternative. She has a distinctive voice and tends to write songs that you could easily listen to while working, or while chilling out.

She played at the Qudos Bank Arena on Monday the 2nd of April as part of her LA to the Moon Tour, which happened to be Easter Weekend so that could explain why the show was only about 80-85% full. She's also not as big as other artists like Taylor Swift and Robbie Williams, so you wouldn't expect her to sell out.

This was her first tour downunder after releasing five studio albums.

She sung all her hits: Video Games, Born to Die, Summertime Sadness, National Anthem, Lust for Life and concluded with Off to the Races.

For anyone who prefers shows that are completely stripped back with minimum effects then this was an excellent show. The only real effects were on the video screen with played either video clips that matched the song that was being sung, or that zoomed in on Lana. The stage was set up as if it was a beach or a park.

Lana Del Ray isn't the most popular singer and you couldn't help but notice just how many tickets were still available. I've been at other shows that aren't sold out and it affects the atmosphere at the venue (this topic will be covered in another blog though that's specifically about whether or not people in Sydney go to concerts as will whether or not the seat you have makes a difference to your enjoyment).

Her voice throughout the entire show was perfect and she hit absolutely every note without mistake.

If she comes back then she'd definitely be worth seeing again but I would only give the show a 3 out of 5. She has a quality that is very similar to Alanis Morrisette when she was younger in the 90s.. Her only weakness was how she connected with the audience.