Part comedian, part folk singer, Colin Hay put on a performance
at the Plaza Theater in Orlando on April 17, 2010 that I will
never forget. Just Hay and a couple of guitars graced the stage
as part of his one-man acoustic tour in this small theater. Oh,
and the stool, because that’s what makes it “folk.” According to
Hay, “You don’t even have to sit on the stool, there just has to
be one on the stage for it to be folk” Holding approx. 300, the
theater was nearly full to capacity for what turned out to be an
outstanding evening of entertainment.
For about two hours Hay regaled the crowd with stories – often
uproariously funny and sometimes quite poignant – and songs. Oh
yes, there were songs, although Hay sometimes joked about the
slow musical pace of his shows. He played a good chunk of his
latest release, American Sunshine, along with other cuts
from a 20-year solo career that came on the heels of his
worldwide success as the front man of Aussie band Men at Work.
He also played acoustic versions of three of the best-known
songs in the Men at Work catalog – “Who Can It Be Now,” “Down
Under” and “Overkill.” These songs got the biggest audience
response, of course, but there was also much love for tracks
like “Beautiful World” and the incredible “Waiting for
My Real Life to Begin.”
Between songs Hay entertained like a world-class comic, waxing
philosophically about such topics as: stardom with Men at Work,
the relative obscurity of his solo career, performing with Ringo
Starr, life in Los Angeles (where one can apparently see Batman
on his way to get his morning latte), the death of his father,
Australians, the Grammy Awards, and growing up a fan of John
Wayne and Jimmy Stewart.
I recommend Colin Hay to anyone who likes to laugh and be
entertained. His voice has held up remarkably well over the
years. The show reminded me a lot of Rick Wakeman’s one-man
show, with all the stories and laughs and music creating one
magical evening.
Here is the set list:
I'll Leave The Light On
Prison Time
I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You
Norwegian Wood (The Beatles)
Maggie
There's Water Over You
Oh California
I Came Into Your Store
Who Can It Be Now?
Down Under
Beautiful World
Are You Lookin' At Me?
Overkill
Waiting For My Real Life To Begin
I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You (Reprise)
