The Energy of One and All

Tash Sultana, Pierce Brothers

Flow State World Tour presented by FM4 Indiekiste and Lemon Tree Music, Arena Wien Open Air, Austria 20190715

That internet and streaming is the death to music is a common thesis. Kids prefer short tunes of two minutes instead of whole (concept) records and change their favorite artist every week. But the worldwide web also connects, so you can fall in love with rappers from overseas, doom kings from near east or trash titans from the far east. And it made the following incredible career possible.

The tour package from Melbourne sold out the Arena Open Air area two times in a row already long beforehand. The Pierce Brothers open the evening with their joyful folk. Both of them play drums and guitars. They also add a didgeridoo or play on one guitar together. Most powerful parts are their instrumentals, which combine fingerpicking skills with fast rhythms, which the numerous spectators already like to dance to.

The sensational headlining act of the two nights is Tash Sultana. The former street artist got famous through viral videos and the deeply impressive live action. The stage design features visuals of eyes, pyramids, a metal skeleton and the cover of the first full-length “Flow State”. Her music shifts from reggae to rock and beatboxing to electro pop. There she plays a lot of instruments combined through her loop station. Not only the guitar, but also the mandolin she plays like in what got to be known as the “Pulp Fiction Theme”, the trumpet, pan flute and drum pad, she just dances between her instruments.

Everything goes so quick it is hard to follow. You think she is still recording, the next moment she jumps from the podium in a high arc, adding an amazing guitar solo. Her unbelievable presence lets the big stage appear even small. The set of course includes her hits “Notion” (that follows a similar riff like Queen touring member Adam Lamberts “Whataya Want From Me”), “Jungle” and “Blackbird”. Tash doesn’t speak much between the extended songs, what also is not necessary, as here music speaks for her. Just at one point, she tells that those shows were the first to be sold out on this tour and that everyone can leave the problems and politics outside the doors and come together. All are different age, race, gender and sexuality but here we are for music.