David Campbell Sings John Bucchino – Adelaide Cabaret Festival

A brilliant musical duo requires an unspoken understanding and a perfect balance between artists. When it comes to the music, David Campbell and John Bucchino, longtime friends and collaborators, have got it just right. David Campbell Sings John Bucchino is an intimate and personal affair that showcases the voice of our local hero, David Campbell, and the music of the award winning American composer, John Bucchino.

The show begins with simple lighting, and a simple song that was sung, by David Campbell, simply perfectly. Seated casually on a stool, Campbell serenades the audience with Sweet Dreams, before introducing the talented songwriter, John Bucchino.

From here on in the show’s focus is Bucchino: his songwriting process, his successes and failures, his loves and his loss. Such content is destined for an intimate affair, and Bucchino’s lyrics are simple, honest, and true. Unexpressed, Bucchino’s favourite composition, was a truly beautiful moment where the lyrics were in perfect synchrony with the music.

David Campbell plays his role, the musical story-telling device, to perfection. At times, however, he struggled to get a word in edgeways. Bucchino, with his self-deprecating anecdotes, certainly drove the show. His solo rendition of On My Bedside Table left Campbell stranded on stage, but the humour of this self-help number was a highlight. Excerpts from Bucchino’s musical ‘A Catered Affair’ were excellent (particularly Don’t Ever Stop Saying “I Love You” – where Campbell channeled the female lead, Jane), and the finale, Grateful, was breathtaking.

As a previous artistic director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, we all know and love David Campbell. His voice is outstanding and he produces such positive energy on stage. Of course, his story is more familiar than that of John Bucchino, but I would have liked the formidable musical duo to have shown more cohesion as a cabaret duo. David Campbell Sings John Bucchino is an excellent show, with excellent music and David Campbell (and any of his friends) are always welcome at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival!