Kate Miller-Heidke
The Palais Theatre

Looking nothing short of gorgeous in a tinsel crop and tulle skirt the much loved Kate Miller- Heidke has finally made it to Melbourne’s iconic Palais theatre. Opening for Kate this evening is the delightful Didirri, whose solo performance treats the audience to some new material and some simplistic stripped back versions of his much loved singles.

The anticipation hanging in the air as the lights go up and she is welcomed with thunderous applause. Opening with A Quite Voice she is off to a strong start with her voice filling the auditorium, the drama captivating.

Kate Miller- Heidke teeters between the lines of classic pop music and opera, finding a place in-between that seems to suit her voice and classical training. She delivers sweet, thoughtful and sometimes sad lyrics that suit her style perfectly and accomplish a style that is unique and in a genre all its own. To say her vocal technique is impressive is some what of an understatement, and genius is probably a more appropriate term.

Moving through numbers ‘ You can’t hurt me anymore’  ‘ People Pleaser’  and ‘ Deluded’  she pauses to inform the audience that she has a special treat. Calling for a young woman named Frankie to come to the stage, Kate explains that Frankie is a young student whose teacher wrote to Kate asking if she could sing on stage with her. To a round of thunderous applause,  a very nervous Frankie takes to the stage, and belts out an incredible version of  ‘Caught in the Crowd’  absolutely wowing the audience and Kate with her flawless voice. Its an incredible moment for the young teenage and one she’ll remember forever.

Any fan of Kate Miller -Heidke knows that she has quite the talent for covering the work of other musicians and turning it into something unique that is all her own. This evening we are treated to not one but two covers- an operatic avant-garde version of The Rolling Stones ‘ Paint it Black’ and Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’.

Closing the show with Zero Gravity, Kate Miller-Heidke has charmed and delighted Melbourne audiences with her performance, and as usual she has given an impressive display of what a total vocal powerhouse she is, and an absolute joy to watch.

Words and images by Amanda Lee Starkey