Sharon Van Etten has certainly arrived. We first saw her a few years ago at the Sydney Festival. A shining talent with her acoustic guitar. Fast forward to Saturday night at the Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid and she has exploded into a supernova. After a five year absence Sharon returned this year with a new album in 'Remind Me Tomorrow'. It was and is a captivating album, an expansion of sound. More synths, more upbeat, but still having that signature bare honesty. To see it live was a distinct pleasure to be sure.

Ultimately we would hear all 10 tracks from her new album and they simply exploded live. From the pounding rhythm of 'Comeback Kid' to the roar power of 'Hands' it was all spectacular. 'Hands' was my favourite but you could make a solid case for the emotional heavyweight in 'Seventeen' or the stark beauty of 'Jupiter 4'. Ms Van Etten dominated the stage in her red valour suit. Often she was sans instrument, just her prowling the stage. But there were numbers where she strapped on the guitar or sat down to play keyboard. The latter was especially effective on the solo cover of 'Black Boys on Mopeds'. She was ably backed by her four band members, all professional and gifted in the extreme. A standing ovation led to a welcomed encore which included the powerhouse 'Serpents'. All in all it was a distinct privilege to see such an extreme talent.

Set List
Jupiter 4
Comeback Kid
No One's Easy To Love
One Day
Tarifa
Memorial Day
You Shadow
Malibu
Hands
Black Boys on Mopeds (Sinead O'Connor cover)
Seventeen
Every Time the Sun Comes Up
Stay

I Told You Everything
Serpents
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