SIA | CHARLI XCX

Over a year after the North American leg of Nostalgic for the Present Tour from Sia lands exclusively in Sydney and Melbourne. Melbourne received shocking reviews and a full pit stop in Auckland is planned this coming week.

Sydney decided to put on an evening of rain and for the second day of Summer a very cool evening. Not ideal.

Not to mention I missed the first two acts Amy Shark (fresh from the ARIA awards) and MO from Sweden.

Now it was clear maybe the weather kept people at home and discounts ahead of the show exploited Sia was not the stadium sell out I thought she was. The stadium in some parts was extremely empty and in a time that Gladys feels 2.5 billion dollars should be spent upgrading Sydney stadiums, well honey boo boo you don't need more seats, you need to fix the mess around the stadiums.

Sia is outstanding, she holds my album of the year in 2014 for 1,000 Forms of Fear an album of the year nomination for This is Acting last year and I have been a big fan since 2001's album Healing is Difficult. When I heard Taken for Granted I knew she was a star!

Unfortunately last night was not her night to shine. The stadium didn't work, the weather didn't help, the set list was a year out of date as this tour did start back in September 2016 and the videos on the side screens were horrible.

Years ago when I saw Sia at the Enmore and another time at the Metro Theatres respectively Sia's interaction was the best part of the show. Last night there was 0% engagement with the audience.

I hate to say this is the first time I have paid to see Sia and if it wasn't for half of Charli XCX's terrific set beforehand this would have been a bitterly disappointing evening out. Catching the tale end of her fourth hit Boys, Charli XCX had a great uptempo set. Including recent collaborations with David Guetta to Mura Musa, this was all killer no filler.

Sia also tipped her hat to David Guetta's massive hit Titanium, however another piano ballad as she ditched the dance original for more ballad version.

At times the concert in the cold and wet, along with a pile of empty seats felt like a snooze fest. I'm sorry Sia but this was just not great. I know you're reserved now and not quirky like the old days, and I hate to be an old fart but I prefer you're old stuff better than you're new stuff. Sorry.