Colin Hay: Waiting For My Real Life

Colin Hay: Waiting For My Real Life
Adelaide Cabaret Festival. The Playhouse, Festival Centre, Adelaide. June 13-15, 2014.

Preceded by a taped overture of clap sticks, strings, and a naggingly familiar flute melody, Colin Hay emerges onto an intimately lit stage to give his festival audience an entertaining evening. His skills as a guitarist, on display and in evidence throughout, combined with his even more impressive comedic talents, were enough to override this particular critic's doubts about Hay's level of achievement as a singer and songwriter. He knows how to make his audience feel welcome and glad to be there.

As a solo performer, Colin Hay seems not to have gained the level of respect or attention from the Australian industry and media that has been afforded to, say, Stephen Cummings of The Sports, another early 80s new wave pop rocker who has also been a solo act for far longer than his former group managed to stay together. Perhaps it is due to Hay's unmistakable iconic vocal tone that one struggles to successfully separate him mentally from Men At Work and accept his solo performances and compositions as part of an individual musical identity.

The man has certainly not lost any significant level of vocal power or ability over the years; age may even have brought a subtle new level of resonance. However, Hay's voice - while warm, broad, and ingratiating, sounding at its best like a sort of 'Highland Soul' - is an instrument of somewhat limited emotional nuance. A number of Hay's songs also feel unfinished, whether in performance or at the writing stage. Perhaps this is mostly due to lack of familiarity, in comparison with the iconic status of his worldwide Men At Work hits (three of which are performed, one of those for at least the second time during this Cab Fest).

Another likely explanation is that Hay is attempting to express himself at a more intimate and personal level, less immediate but longer-lasting down the track, as with many former group artists in the process of carving a solo niche. Perhaps his solo songs are actually better showcased on their studio recordings, but in concert, the amplification of his voice, and the consistent richness of his guitar (plus one incongruous and unsuccessful use of a fuzz effect), makes these smaller tales seem like they're striving to be inappropriately big at times.

Fortunately, Colin Hay has clearly honed his cabaret comedy skills over the years (though his sense of humour and acting talent are in evidence from the Men At Work days, whether hamming on MTV or quirkily accepting a Grammy Award). Good-naturedly punctuating his punchlines with profanity, sharing vignettes of childhood ambition and parental support, delivering hilariously precise impersonations, gently taking aim at the linguistic quirks of Aussies and the presumptuousness of swellheads, even finding wit in reflecting on what the passage of time must feel like in prison, as well as on his own admitted (former) alcoholism, Hay gets a great deal of good vibes going in the room.

Towards the end of his presentation, our performer reflected that we all have to find our place in the universe - and that this is his place. One cannot help but be happy for Colin Hay's apparent contentment, as this elder statesman performer settles into mining a musical turf that feels comfortable for him, and for his audience. He may not quite be able to claim the admiration or mystique of a full-blown music legend, nor the artistry and poetry of more lauded musicians, but he seems as though this would hardly bother him a bit.

Anthony Vawser

Subscribe to our E-Newsletter, buy our latest print edition or find a Performing Arts book at Book Nook.