Pier 17 // New York, NY // June 26, 2022
Photos and review by Jess Williams
Tash Sultana is a self-proclaimed “one-person band” known for their loop-style performances along with percussive and finger-tapping style guitar playing. In addition to killer instrumental skills, Tash has a vocal range that stretches five octaves. As such, it was no surprise that the award-winning musician almost instantly sold out their performance at one of New York’s premiere rooftop venues, Pier 17. In support of their most recent album Terra Firma, the tour of the same name was trekking across North America, providing catharsis to fans across the nation in the form of multi-instrumental ballads and spiritual transcendence through the sound of Sultana’s voice.
As the sun began to set across the Seaport District in southern Manhattan, fellow Australian artists Josh Cashman kicked off the show. Playing songs including “Dopamine,” “Summertime Daydream”, and the newly released single “Blue Eyes”, which he wrote about his favorite porn star growing up, Cashman captivated the audience and prepared the sea of 3,500 fans for what was to come. Just before wrapping his set with “Law of Attraction”, Cashman gave a shout-out to his two best friends, who were in the crowd, thanking them for their support and their journey to the show from their small farm hometown in Australia. Josh Cashman served as the perfect opener for the show as everyone settled into their places for the evening.
The warm orange/pink sun sparkled against the top of the Empire State Building in the distance as we awaited Tash’s arrival. Around 8:15, they took to the stage and without even glancing out at the sea of humans before them, they dove into “Musk”. Despite only playing ten songs and one encore, which was the epic 9.5-minute long “Blackbird”, Tash entranced the crowd on that Sunday evening.
Throughout the entire nearly two-hour-long performance, Tash only spoke to the crowd to introduce their live band, who joined them for a handful of songs about halfway through the set. For the remainder of the concert, fans watched in awe as Tash performed the show of a lifetime, entirely in their own zone. As the night sky faded to black, the effervescent and “mad” visuals, as Tash described, exploded on the giant screen behind them. Fans throughout the venue couldn’t turn their heads away for even just a moment. It was a spiritual experience.
Having seen Tash perform at New York’s Central Park Summerstage just three years prior, it was a fantastic opportunity to see the full transformation and growth that Tash has undergone since then. The fan base had doubled in size and dedication and Tash’s live performance and stage presence is truly unmatched, making a Tash Sultana concert a certified fantastic experience without a doubt. When the show ended, I wanted to pinch myself. I couldn’t believe it and didn’t want it to end. It was a truly inspirational performance, the perfect end to the first weekend of summer here in New York City.
