There’s something about a City and Colour gig that feels like a collective exhale. You walk in with certain feelings bottled up inside but by the end of the night, everything just gets released. City and Colour’s performance on January 16, was no exception. Dallas Green and his band turned Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion into a space of pure, unbridled connection between fan and artist.
Kicking things off with After Disaster, Green wasted no time pulling the crowd into his world. Every note felt like it carried the weight of a thousand unspoken emotions. Harder Than Stone and Weightless followed, weaving together threads of introspection and hope, before the beautifully personal The Love Still Held Me Near reminded everyone why City and Colour’s music cuts so deep.
The setlist spanned all corners of Green’s career, but the highlight for many came with Nutshell, a stripped-back Alice in Chains cover that left the room in stunned silence. For a moment, the entire venue felt like it was holding its breath. But just as quickly, Green brought the energy back with Astronaut and Hard, Hard Time. It showcased Green’s ability to move seamlessly between heartbreak and euphoria.
As the set closed with Bow Down to Love, the crowd wasn’t ready to say goodbye, and neither was Green. The encore kicked off with Northern Wind, a quiet, goosebump-inducing moment that had couples swaying and friends leaning on each other. By the time Lover Come Back rolled in, the singalongs hit their peak, voices echoing through the pavilion.
And then came Sometimes (I Wish)—a perfect closer. Green snuck in a snippet of Sade’s No Ordinary Love, and somehow, it fit like it was meant to be there all along. It was one of those little touches that make City and Colour gigs feel more like a conversation than a performance.
Photos by Blunt Magazine’s Lens Slayer James Miller
