The Tea Party with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in Australia - live review

Canadian proggers The Tea Party team up with Aussie orchestra for an evening to remember

The crowd at a prog gig
(Image: © Katja Ogrin)

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Opening with the classic Temptation, group and orchestra take the enraptured audience on a two-set, two-hour-plus journey across a large cross-section of the band’s epic back catalogue. By the second song, the ever-enigmatic and entertaining Jeff Martin has invited a random punter up on stage, and she ends up dancing with drummer Jeff Burrows in what Martin deems her “Springsteen moment”, which draws much mirth from the crowd.

The orchestra only take centre stage when they play the intro to Heaven Coming Down, instead they are utilised more as a tasteful enhancement for the band’s epic songs, rather than an actual centrepiece. It works an absolute treat.