Review: John Farnham proves his universal, unending appeal at Qantas Credit Union Arena Sydney

CONCERT REVIEW: The music legend has once again confirmed his universal, unending appeal. And as a result, he leaves with a rather large problem.

John Farnham performing at QANTAS Arena - Sydney Entertainment Centre. Picture: Dylan Robinson

JOHN Farnham has a problem.

His wife Jilly wants to know where he plans to put the rather large sign which has commemorated the John Farnham room at the Qantas Credit Union Arena in honour of his record-breaking number of shows at the old Ent Cent over the past three decades.

“It’s not going in the bedroom where I envisaged it,” the master showman and perennial dad joker quipped.

While Elton John holds the outright record, Farnham has played more shows at the Sydney venue than any other Australian artist since its inception in 1983.

And for his farewell concert to the venue, Farnham and his faithful band of musicians and backing vocalists kept it real, playing to the strengths of his enviable canon of hits and showmanship.

His crowd are a happy, up-for-it gang, infectiously enthusiastic in their adoration of his unrivalled golden voice and endearing, self-deprecating charm.

When I bumped into two generations of my family at the gig, they yet again confirmed the truth of Farnham’s universal and enduring appeal.

Every artist who has survived more than a decade in this fickle music business will claim they see “people from the age of 15 to 50” in the front rows of their gigs.

At a Farnham concert, you witness the truth of that cliche.

Those standing are doing that default side to side dance while those in their seats do the same thing with added claps.

Stage presence ... John Farnham really is the Voice. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Like the Cold Chisel concert the night before, this gig wasn’t about bells and whistles but a great singer and equally great bunch of musicians and personalities playing to their strengths and giving the audience what they wanted.

No self indulgence here; just the hits played expertly with heart and soul.

When you can start a concert with the goosebumps-inducing Age Of Reason and end with his claim on AC/DC’s It’s A Long Way To The Top, you really do have it made. Why would you pretend otherwise — and Farnham is too humble and grateful to even try.

He even gave us a burst of the song we all think he hates — Sadie The Cleaning Lady.

“I actually love the song. It is the reason I am standing here. But having said that, it’s not the best song I ever recorded,” he said.

And oh how they sang along.

But when Farnham sings Burn For You, one of his finest vocal performances, and retells the story behind it about the regular tour separations from his wife, the fans sing along because it relates to their own lives. As he has always done.

As he always does, the accomplished showman had the house lights turned on during the concert to put the spotlight on the crowd as much as it was on him.

For every frisson and thrill offered by hits like Two Strong Hearts, Hearts On Fire, Touch Of Paradise, That’s Freedom and Playing To Win, no song nor his performance of it will ever trump his signature, You’re The Voice.

There is a simple reason why John Farnham has held the record of this soon-to-be-demolished venue for three decades.

And it is because he is the Voice.

Elton John closes the old Ent Cent on Saturday but he shares the heart and soul of the old venue, sometimes much maligned as a concrete bunker, with the memories of John Farnham gigs.

Originally published as Review: John Farnham proves his universal, unending appeal at Qantas Credit Union Arena Sydney