It can be hard to make it in the indie music scene when you go past a certain age - the contemporary scene is often dominated by young musicians who are just starting out, and the older guys stick to the 'dad rock' business. Donny Benet, however, brought to the stage at The Foundry in Brisbane the best of both worlds - the cheesiness of the 'dad aesthetic', combined with the musical expertise of a veteran performer, and the liveliness of an up and comer.
Gold Coast girl band The Oogars opened the night with swagger, dressed in brightly coloured suits and oozing with potential. They switched between original songs and covers, with their funky rock vibe defining their signature sound. A cover of The Eurythmics Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) gave an insight into their musical direction, as it provided ample opportunities for them to divulge the audience with their tight harmonies and stellar musicianship.
Brisbane act Georgie Nielsen and the Growing Pains were up next, and with them brought another wave of punters to the dance floor. Funky was definitely the vibe of the evening, and Nielsen delivered on that vibe, with her indie rock charms tinged with hints of folk and pop. Tracks like Marco Polo and Surburban Days, rounded out their set.
Finally, it was the moment everyone had been waiting for - The Don graced the stage, dressed in a crumpled blue suit, and adorned by his signature bass guitar. Opening with Working Out, it wasn't long until the crowd in the packed venue were working out their best dance moves, and a sultry, sex drenched vibe drowned the audience. Playing mostly tracks off of his debut album The Don, such as Love On Loan, Konnichiwa, She's Too Much, and Santorini, his 80's inspired disco synth music told a similar story throughout - a man in love, who just wants everyone to love each other.
It's not just about the cheesy gimmick of the whole thing though, what makes Donny Benet so good is the high level of musicianship underneath the cringey love songs. Each track is perfectly executed, from the tight drums, to the roaring sax solos, complex bass riffs and soaring synth lines - the Italian dad demeanour is really just the cherry on top of a really delicious cake.
He finished his set with an Italian air kiss, but didn't disappear for long - the crowd were chanting 'DONNY, DONNY", and with that he came back for two more tracks, before calling it a night and bidding the audience farewell. It takes a good performer to be able to execute something of this manner so seriously and well - The Don has done it again.
Olivia Shoesmith