Cabaret Festival. Her Majesty’s Theatre. 7 Jun 2025
The first Adelaide Cabaret Festival took place in May 2001. This year, 2025, marks the 25th year of the festival which has run annually since its inception, warming the crisp winter nights of June in Adelaide.
Whilst this year’s event lacks the usual activation of Festival Plaza—with crackling braziers, live music, and heart-warming cocktails that herald the Cab Fest’s arrival—the programme of performers is still exceptionally strong.
None more so than headliner, Jacob Collier, whose two shows completely sold-out months ahead of the actual event.
Collier is somewhat revered as a musical ‘prodigy’. Hailing from North London, he first gained attention in 2012 with a series of viral YouTube videos that showcased his multi-instrumental arrangements.
Collier is known for his playful performances which showcase his command of live-looping, polyrhythms, and microtonalities. He takes well-known songs and completely reimagines them, deconstructing and then rebuilding them in his own unique musical language, adding complex jazz chords, unexpected modulations, layered vocal harmonies and intricate rhythmic shifts. He celebrates disharmony and atonality, and, together with his audience interaction and participation, is infectious to watch.
For his opening night Adelaide show we are treated not to a curated performance, but to ‘Cabaret’ as he defines it, “the opportunity to be completely free in performance, where there are no rules”. What we are treated to instead, is just over 90 minutes watching Collier ‘play’; in the childlike rather than musical sense of the word.
The show opens with a rendition of Pure Imagination from the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The piece is nostalgic for many in the audience, but Collier’s construction is only reminiscent of the original, and his playful melody transports the piece to a whole new level.
Other covers include Georgia on My Mind, - Ray Charles (1960), Norwegian Wood - The Beatles (1965), Can’t Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli (1967), and Beyond the Sea, popularised by Bobby Darin in 1959. Collier also includes a few of his original numbers, and one suspects he is taken aback by the audience’s knowledge of his work. The Sun Is in Your Eyes (Voice Memo) (2020), All I Need (2020) which somehow morphs into Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison (1967), and the much loved Little Blue (2024) all by Collier, feature, with the latter including the audience on the chorus and harmonies.
When an audience member calls out for a rendition of Time Alone with You (2020), Collier, ever the generous performer, humorously admits it might be too much for his one-man show. But, true to his playful spirit, he teaches us the second part of the song and gives it an impassioned attempt, switching between tunings on his electric 5-string guitar as he plays. It's a wonderfully fun and engaging moment, showcasing his spontaneity and dedication.
Collier effortlessly shifts between instruments all night, at one point playing both grand piano and his custom 5-string acoustic guitar in Little Blue. For a cover of Can’t Help Falling in Love, by Elvis Presley (1961) the piano-synth hybrid is employed along with vocal modulation. Beginning with an almost delicate, reverent touch, Collier gradually expands the harmonic palette using lush extended chords, microtonal inflections, and unexpected key changes. The result creates a sense of floating tension and release, which bends the emotional tone of the song, making it feel intimate yet somehow cosmic.
Collier’s banter with the audience is effortless, creating an atmosphere of warmth and familiarity. It is a masterclass in engagement. His enthusiasm for music is infectious, and throughout the night, it feels like we’re all part of a private, joyful jam session in his living room. One moment, cross-legged atop his piano stool, he thoughtfully reflects on the question, “What is music?” His answer is simple but profound: “Music is the universal language of the world, it connects people across cultures and borders, fostering understanding and empathy”.
And connected we are. In that audience, on this night, we all understood Jacob completely. It’s a thoughtful, almost meditative experience watching him ‘play’. With each song, you can’t help but feel transported, caught up in the magic of his creativity. It is a performance that leaves you smiling, not just because of the music, but because of the unspoken connection Collier creates with his audience.
Paul Rodda
When: 7 to 8 June
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Bookings: Sold Out
