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Images: Vasili Papathanasopoulos.
No Place Like Tour marks ROLE MODEL's debut Australian shows, having only performed down under once before at an intimate event hosted by his record label. The tour is in support of the musicians acclaimed sophomore album, Kansas Anymore.
Fans poured into Sydney's Enmore Theatre hungry to see their favourite artist perform live. Some were even thirsty; holding signs saying "shake some ass," "sexiest diabetic alive," "them hips don't lie" and "you may talk slow... but I'll make you cum fast." ROLE MODEL has created a community of fans full of humour and tongue-in-cheek jokes. He often introduces himself on stage as other artists - such as Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, Clairo, The 1965 (a play on his cover of The 1975's Someone Else), and of course, his alter ego, Sabrina Carpenter - prompting an Espresso sing-a-long.
As he hits the stage, guitar in hand, roaring screams bounce around the walls of the Enmore. Opening his set with Writing's On The Wall, Look At That Woman and Scumbag, ROLE MODEL's distinct vocal tones enchanted his audience. From here, he takes the audience on a journey through heartbreak, self-destruction and a bit of healing. We journey between upbeat almost 'party-like' moments, and more stripped back songs - in particular the pairing of Frances and Slut Era Interlude. ROLE MODEL's vocals never falter, hitting soaring notes whilst also retaining the signature charm present on the record. Within the realm of contemporary music, he stands out as a distinct voice.
Throughout the evening he cracks a set of jokes; telling the audience "I’m just like clean girl aesthetic" when they urge him to do a 'shoey,' asking them "How do you feel about PEOPLE Magazine out here?" in reference to his epic campaign to take home PEOPLE Magazine's Sexiest Musician category, and stated "by the way I’m not 5 foot 9 I’m 6 foot... before being cut of by the band. ROLE MODEL knows the importance of his relationship with his fans, often interacting with them. Later in the evening, he spots a hand-painted denim jacket created by Emily Ingham.
One of the evenings standout moments was the performance of an unreleased song, Sally. ROLE MODEL has been teasing the song as part of the deluxe release of Kansas Anymore. It's rare to see a sold-out crowd sing-a-long to every word of an unreleased song, but that is exactly what happened at the Enmore last night. It seems ROLE MODEL has a hit on his hands.
No Place Like Tour echoes the emotional journey of Kansas Anymore. We find an artist at their most vulnerable, letting the world in and attempting to heal. A masterclass in songwriting and crowd connection, it's clear ROLE MODEL is on the precipice of super-stardom.
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