Gotye Wows at the Legendary Tower Theater
Words & Photos By: Mike Mauger
From the moment up and coming Australian singer/songwriter Missy Higgins took the stage at the historic Tower Theater in West Philadelphia last night, the thousands in attendance knew they were in for a magical night of music.
The audience, conscious of the mystique and magnificence of the Tower Theater fell silent in awe of the talent of the equally beautiful and talented musician for the duration of her set, only coming to life at the end of each song, at which time they showed Higgins their appreciation in the form of thunderous applause. But that was only the beginning, setting the stage for 2012′s most enigmatic new artist, Gotye.
Missy Higgins
In his short time in the national spotlight, Gotye has sure embraced his role as a performer. His electrifying set encompassed all aspects of musicianship as well as visual spectacles, including a giant video screen behind his band that played animated FernGully-esque videos synced to the music.
Bouncing around the stage to play a wide variety of instruments, with his band, Gotye kept it versatile and kept the audience wondering where he was going next. His passion for music, especially percussion, became apparent with every new instrument he played, including a couple dueling drum solos on songs like “What Do You Want?” “Smoke and Mirrors,” and the ever popular “Somebody I Used to Know,” which featured Missy Higgins on vocals.
Gotye
Gotye likes to have his songs rise, fall, and rise again for an enthusiastic ending with more percussion than you could shake a drum stick at, and the finale “Learnalilgivinanlovin” was no exception. Returning Gotye fans filed into the Philadelphia streets last night with a renewed satisfaction; less familiar fans left with a new appreciation for the musicianship of Gotye, and with a smile on their face.
