A post from GARY: Sia, I told you so.

Hello my darlings.  Over the next couple of days, we're going to do a mini-series of posts here on Austin Eavesdropper covering the bands (and vineyards!) my friends and I got to see in San Francisco this month. That way, if they ever come to Austin, you can impress your company with the inside scoop.

First up is Sia, with a show review by GARY! Now, I wasn't that familiar with Sia before GARY! told me about her, but I can tell you in all honesty that this was one of the most moving performances I have ever attended. Maybe it was the fact that a man proposed to his future wife in the middle of it. I am not joking. Or maybe, it was the woman who REMOVED HER PROSTHETIC LEG DURING THE SHOW and tried to give it to Sia as a heartfelt gift. I'm not joking about that, either.

But more likely, the magic of Sia's shows can be explained by her own candid, warm, and very real stage presence. She actually talks to people during the show. She remembers individual fans in the audience, and thanks everyone profusely after each song. In short, she's one of those people you would be a fan of anyway, whether she was a singer, an actress, or a Starbucks barista. All it takes is a few seconds around this woman, and you are completely and forever won over.

Here's GARY! with a little more about Sia, and our live show experience:

Oh, SIA.

Friends, the first time I became familiar with this Australian song bird was on a dance compilation I acquired many years ago, from a DJ in Houston. The track was “Drink to Get Drunk,” and if you were ever in a club back around 2001/2002, you have probably heard it before.  Alternatively, if you were ever a Six Feet Under fan, you may also be familiar with "Breathe Me," a Sia song that backed the epic season finale in the show's very last episode.

But despite a rabid fan base, Sia never really achieved mainstream success in America.

Back in November though, she leaked a dance-y, upbeat pop track from her Twitter account: "You've Changed."

Given that Sia's previous albums consisted mainly of atmospheric downtempo tracks and ballads that dealt more with substance than catchy pop hooks, “You’ve Changed” marked a departure - especially from quieter, more thoughtful pieces, like "Soon We'll Be Found."


Quite versatile, yes?

We caught Sia at the wonderful Regency Ballroom while we were in San Francisco. Some things you should know about a Sia concert:

1. Presents or “prezzies” for Sia are always welcome and will be discussed onstage at length,
2. Crowd interaction is encouraged,
3. If you knit, bring your gear because Sia will let you up onstage to knit while she sings,
4. Her fans are some of the nicest people you will ever meet,
5. Be prepared to get to know your performer. Sia isn’t just there to sing, she’s there to chat. Not only does she talk to the audience, she lets the audience talk to her (sometimes inviting them onstage for the purpose),
6. This is the longest show I have ever been to. Her set lasted about two hours that night.

Here she is performing "Never Gonna Leave Me." To get a real taste of this experience, I kept the tape running while she accepted a few random “prezzies” from fans, and then, acted as videographer for a marriage proposal (wait for minute 5:04):


(EDITOR'S NOTE: Tolly here, that video totally made me tear up).

Next, here is a gorgeous cover of Madonna’s “Oh Father," which I believe will be released on her new album We Are Born (available June 22).


This next clip comes from another fan at the show who captured yours truly offering the shirt off his back! I guess you could say I got caught up in the moment, as did the guy who, after me, threw his pants on stage.


Sia eventually offered to give back that infamous pair of pants back to the now pant-less fan. Please note the enormous homemade bubble-blowing wing contraption she wears while negotiating with him.


Don't you love how she continues to hold/display the pants as she begins the next song? Haha.

Anyway, I taped a whole mess of other songs, so if you like what you see here, check out my mini Sia YouTube channel of videos from that night. We loved this girl, and pray to God she comes to Austin some day.

That’s all I got,

g.