Friday night was my first time at Geelong’s latest music venue, Church. Unassuming from the outside, the converted church building is now a bar, complete with a stage and enough standing room for 150 people.
For locals, this a huge feat. Sure, we’re only an hour from Melbourne, but to have something like this on our doorstep is special, and if the initial calibre of artists is anything to go by, it’s going to be a hot venue.
Friday night saw Benjamin Stewart play, after rescheduling the show due to illness. The Slowly Slowly frontman has been creating and touring his solo music on and off since 2024, and with two albums under his belt and new Slowly Slowly music being released, there was plenty of buzz for this gig.
The turnout was decent, with attendees getting around opening act and Geelong local Daisy Kilbourne, who set the mood with her stunning soft vocals and folk guitar.
Stewart took to the stage and the crowd was… completely silent. Getting straight into the first song, I looked around and everyone was still, hardly a mouth moving. He had his work cut out for him. A few quiet claps and restrained cheers after the first song signalled that people were easing up ever so slightly, but this wasn’t lost on Stewart, who playfully laughed, “Oh so it’s gonna be one of those ones huh?”.
From tiny 150-cap venues to festival stages and headlining Margaret Court Arena, Stewart has experienced every type of crowd possible. This was evident as he started to really connect with the crowd, making them laugh, telling stories and encouraging crowd participation.
Stewart’s vocals are second to none. Armed with just a guitar and some drum tracks, it was such a raw, intimate performance. It wasn’t flawless, but that made it all the more special. It felt like hanging out with friends; there was back and forth between Stewart and the audience, and the few mistakes made for memorable moments.
The crowd was treated to a few new tracks, too, one of which he had only written this week. He revealed that he had no idea if it would ever become an actual song, but decided on the fly to share it with us anyway. This was a goosebumps moment. To be honest, I don’t even remember if this track had a name, but he explained that it was inspired by the TV show Alone, and how the characters you might not like at the start become the ones you’re rooting for at the end, and somehow he took that concept and applied it to his own life. The lyrics read as if they were straight from a personal diary- completely intimate, as if we weren’t ever supposed to hear them. But it was beautiful.
Songs like “Blowing Kisses from the Airlock” and “Time” got the crowd really going, and then we entered the Slowly Slowly portion of the setlist.
He played their latest single “Sacrosaint”, as well as an upcoming release. When placed side by side, the difference between Slowly Slowly and Stewart’s solo music is clear: there’s a huge playful energy that comes with Slowly Slowly tracks, and even though he was on his own, he pulled these off beautifully.
While it might not have been a flawless show by normal standards, the intimacy of the performance, Stewart’s incredible stage presence and insane vocal ability, as well as the venue’s unique aesthetic, made this a perfect Friday night gig. Though I’ve seen him on bigger stages, this one’s definitely going to stick with me.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Reviewer attended 18.09.26
Photo from Sarah Duggan
Head to the official website for Geelong’s Church HERE to see what’s on.
