Any open-air gig in Melbourne is risky business, let’s face it, even in summer. And while the evening marked a break in the city’s exceptional run of summer heat, the rain kindly held off, allowing us to keep the plastic ponchos tucked away.
The night belonged to Leon Bridges, e buttery vocals and undeniable charm have elevated him to modern soul royalty. A Texan native who shot to fame with his 2015 debut album Coming Home, effortlessly merges vintage soul and R&B with contemporary grooves.
But before Bridges took to the stage, the audience was treated to a mainly instrumental, genre-bending lineup that was as eclectic as it was ear-pleasing. Read: very.
Los Bitchos
Opening the night was Los Bitchos, a London-based instrumental band known for their infectious blend of cumbia-inspired surf rock. Usually a quad girl squad, the four women were joined by a bloke pitching in some added guitar. Their kaleidoscopic, jangly sound and playful energy drew the growing crowd in and warmed us up.
A borderline kawaii aesthetic paired perfectly with their quirky, high-energy performance and it all felt somehow like a beach party collided with a retro games arcade.
Los Bitchos delivers a steady sound straight out of a cool indie film, and they had the crowd swaying in no time.
Glass Beams
Following Los Bitchos was Melbourne’s own Glass Beams, an enigmatic project fronted by a masked musician whose hypnotic, instrumental compositions defy categorisation.
Where do I begin? This performance was a sensory prism, refracting light, sound, and energy into something both otherworldly and deeply grounded. Glass Beams created a fever dream of soundscapes, layering sitar-infused guitar sounds with deep basslines and hypnotic repetitions that built trance-like intensity akin to a snake charmer’s spell. Year of the Snake indeed.
Alternate dimensions were surely explored and the whole show felt genuinely opulent — the bejewelled gold masks may have contributed. Post-apocalyptic yet timeless, draped in diamonds and pearls of imagination this performance lingers in all the best ways.
Leon Bridges
When the man of the evening, Leon Bridges, stepped onto his horseshoe layout stage, his charisma was as effortless as his voice is smooth. Dressed in tasseled finery — a nod to his Texan roots, Bridges carried the audience back in time with his signature 70s-inspired soul and R&B vibes.
The crowd in his palm from the first note to the last. Vintage organ grooves, doo-wop backing vocals, and danceable rhythms turned the Music Bowl into an open-air love story. The energy was amped up for “Texas Sun” and remained even when the intimate “River” hushed the crowd into reverent silence. Overheard in the crowd: “Take me to the river any day, Leon”.
Leon’s band, complete with female guitarist Emily Elbert who is frankly a superstar, leaned into lush instrumentation that was equal parts old school and fresh. Emily served harmonies that honestly shimmered while Leon produced a masterclass in how to be seriously groovy and magnetic.
It’s safe to say Melbourne music lovers were treated to a night as golden as the honey in Leon Bridges’ soulful voice.
Review by Cate O’Donnell and Ami-Leigh O’Donnell