Lime Cordiale & The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra → Adelaide Cabaret Festival

 
I have been to MANY Lime Cordiale gigs throughout my 20s, seen them in venues of all sizes and stood in crowds of all sizes. I feel like I have a parasocial relationship with these brothers because it is their music that has soundtracked the beach days, the study sessions, the late night drives, the Hottest 100 parties… So it was a no-brainer to jump at the opportunity to see them in the Festival Theatre, except this time, backed by the incredible Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. 

The seats were filled with equal parts Lime Cordiale fans and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra fans, bringing us together into one room to experience the newfound magical grandeur that their music becomes when its re-ignited with orchestral arrangements. 

Conductor Vanessa Scammell is spotlighted centre stage, surrounded by the ASO. They begin with a groovy opener for Money, before Oli and Louis appear. The whole scene is just an epic sonic feast for the senses! ASO’s talented orchestra boasts string, brass and percussion musicians, who are joined by members of Lime’s band on drums, vocals and guitar. Alex Turley’s arrangements of them all are magnificent, transforming Lime Cordiale’s indie sound into a mesmerising soundscape. 

The show rips through all the hits, from Temper Temper, to Naturally to Inappropriate Behaviour. Each track bursts with new life, as layers upon layers of classical instruments explore the intricacies in each song with dynamism. They even played one of their most early tracks Hanging Upside Down— one of my personal favourites that sounded almost like a dramatic film score as they built the musical layers towards each chorus. 

Even in this format, Lime Cordiale’s cheeky charisma still exudes as they pause a few times throughout the set to speak with us. Oli educates the usual gig-goers that there is an interval coming up, that doesn’t mean the show is over! 

This show is really an epic collaboration between Lime Cordiale and the ASO. Oli flexes that they are actually “classically trained musicians” and this was a way for them to go back to their roots as musicians. They switch up their instruments throughout, and in a never-seen-before visual, Louis has the whole orchestra join him in playing the Kazoo for his iconic solo in No Plans To Make Plans!

By the second half, the audience has had enough of sitting down, it's too hard to sit still listening to this!! One brave patron stood up, and the rest of us followed. The sight a wholesome visual of an audience united, lost in the euphoric joy live music brings. The brothers also played an unreleased tribute to their father who passed away last year, a touching song that asserted he will always be a ‘Household Name.’ 

The true fans know it isn't a Lime Cordiale show without Robbery, which was their final encore song. The ASO had another moment to shine, giving the song an epic new intro that rose to multiple crescendos before the lyrics even began. 

Lime’s unique concept of crafting a symphony show was a genius way to bring in fans across multiple music genres. This duo is always unafraid to try something different, and its risks like these that reap the rewards, further cementing this band as a treasure in the Australian Music scene. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

- By Sophie Tsoulos