Lance Horne – First Things Last: One Insanely Talented Man for One Incredibly Fantastic Performance – Adelaide Cabaret Festival Review

Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre, Sun 19 Jun. From the first notes of his opening song, In The Middle Of A Really Good Haircut, you know you can sit back, relax, and anticipate an hour of great singing and delicious melodies from a performer who is at ease with his talent. And his warm welcome to the audience showed a sincere appreciation of them being there. Given all we hear coming out of America these days it was timely to be reminded that there are Americans who are intelligent, sensitive, cultured and talented. Lance Horne hails from New York and comes with an impressive musical CV, and it is easy to see why. He delivered a repertoire of songs that are lyrically rich and full of feeling. Sometimes light and breezy – to wit with a jingle for condoms; sometimes achingly beautiful, and at other times wistful and haunting – his version of Jake Shears’ Streets Of Berlin was exquisite. I’d happily listen to Lance Horne sing and play on his own for hours but guest appearances from Adelaide’s own Michael Griffiths (Jersey Boys) and co-curator of this year’s festival, Ali McGregor, added an extra layer of enjoyment. McGregor’s version of Last Day On Earth was, as they say, worth the price of admission alone, and it was obvious that Horne was as moved by her performance as the audience were. Horne has the knack of writing songs that dance all over the place but all ultimately come back to a catchy hook that insert themselves into your brain and latch on to that part of you that wants to remember. He’s a wonderful composer, and commands a vocal range with rich lows and plaintive highs. His engaging stage presence comfortably delivers his immense talent, and he connects with his audience in a way that is natural and sincere. The complete package. A fantastic show. Michael Coghlan Image courtesy of JD Urban Social Media: Facebook: Adelaide Cabaret FestivalTwitter: @AdelaideCabaret  #AdCabFestInstagram: @AdelaideCabaret Facebook: The Clothesline – Digital Arts Magazine Twitter: @Clothesline_Mag