Adelaide Cabaret Festival – The Paul Capsis Revue

Paul Capsis usually puts on a good show and his current outing at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival The Paul Capsis Revue is no exception. In fact it’s a rollicking good time.

Capsis struts onto the stage in a sparkling white vinyl suit with bigger hair than Jon Bon Jovi ever had and prances all over the place during the opening number – a rocking version of ‘Everybody Wants To Touch Me’.

It’s a solo show with minimal channelling. High-grade covers with some very interesting musical twists and, of course, Capsis’ own mercurial antics entertaining the crowd is the flavour of the evening.

Melbourne’s sublime Andrew Patterson assists on vocals and keyboards and musically directed the other 3 members who make up Capsis’ band on the night. Tight and energetic, each musician was afforded a chance to shine with a solo during the set.

David Bowie songs feature prominently with the standouts being ‘Ashes To Ashes’ and ‘Suffragette City’. Other highlights include a comical version of a very nasty song – ‘Mack The Knife’, a very interesting medley combining The Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams’ with The Doors’ ‘People Are Strange’ and a theatrical rendition of ‘The Windmills Of Your Mind’ from the film The Thomas Crown Affair during which Capsis is at his charismatic best.

Capsis slowed the show for a tender ‘My World Is Empty Without You Baby’ and a touching rendition of the Amy Winehouse song ‘Back To Black’ before leaving the stage while the music played and to come back after a quick costume change. This time, all in black, he performed Patti Smith’s ‘Pissing In A River’.

Capsis stepped it up a notch for the final 2 numbers – the Ike and Tina Turner version of ‘Proud Mary’ and commented “I hope when I grow up I’m like Mick and Keith but not Brian Jones” before banging out an uplifting version of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Honky Tonk Women’.

Rightfully, Capsis and the band were given a standing ovation.