Steve Cousins
Westernport Hotel, San Remo

It was on a small hill, just outside the town of Loch that Steve Cousins made his debut roughly three years ago at the Victorian music festival known as Hills Are Alive. Tonight, after a year of very limited gigs, Steve is back to entertain audiences once again.

The sold out venue is alive with anticipation, the dance floor having missed its loyal patrons and things are about to get loose.  This is San Remo and if its not just a little crazy then you haven’t been having a good night.

Having been entertained by local performers Maddy May and guitar aficionado Steph Strings, the audience is ready for loop artist Steve Cousins to hit the stage. Surrounded in a variety of instruments, including a violin Steve demonstrates both versatility and creativity with his music.

He explains that during last year’s lock down he was frustrated at not being able to be in front of a microphone, that exasperation channeled into song writing and screaming into microphones.   He captures all the vibes of being inside in his music expressing how everyone has felt in the last twelve months.

The audience has thoroughly warmed to his boyish charms, and infectious smile during the evening and Steve is a natural crowd pleaser, everyone is up and dancing away to the catchy beats being presented.  Recent single ‘ Coffee‘  a popular favorite,  the very thing Melbourne loves the most – coffee.  Melodic hit ‘ Tides’ a more reflective moment, breaking away from the upbeat set for a short while.

Treating the crowd to a melody of Daft Punk’s Get Lucky,  Haddaway’s  What is Love (Don’t Hurt Me)  and a few bars of Drake’s  Hold On, We’re Going Home he has the crowd singing along in unison, giving the  already excited audience even more of a reason to dance and sing along.

Having whipped the crowd into an enthusiastic frenzy, by the end of the show all bets are off and there are several drunk people on stage dancing. Steve keeps playing along, and the crowd drinks in the sheer joy of being able to dance with abandon. We are treated to an extended encore of three extra songs and not one person in the room wants this night to end.

Steve Cousins has been a delight to watch this evening in San Remo and all the while he has expressed how thankful he is to be playing music again, it is us that should be thanking him for making the night one to remember.

Words and images by Amanda Lee Starkey