On a cold and rainy night in Melbourne, fans gathered with ribbons in their hair, holding hands with the loves of their lives in anticipation of the commencement of what would be an unforgettable show at the grand location of The Forum theatre. Huge classic Hollywood stage lights were set up amongst the band as a foretelling that the highly anticipated artist, Stephen Sanchez, would be dazzling the crowd with his performance tonight.

Before the twelve-bar blues swinging suits were ready to be flashed to the crowd, Australian singer, GRAACE, performed her support duties with some touching and aptly graceful songs. Accompanied by an amazing guitarist on stage, GRAACE had the crowd captivated by songs about the highs and lows of relationships. You could feel her very presence touching the hearts of fans who swayed their hands to and fro in the air as they sang the lyrics to her song, ‘Last Night’. 

A few moments later, the stage lights dimmed and an old tape of a familiar voice echoed into the distance. Talking about love and heartbreak, this man’s voice evoked loud and excited cheers from the audience, without a single break in the raucous applause. As the band slowly walked out in black and white suits, a slow soundscape of keyboard and percussion set the scene for a harmonious voice to come. Stephen Sanchez had arrived. 

Starting off with a slow embrace to his first song, you could see Sanchez’s slicked back hair a mile away, replicating the iconic silhouette of an old Hollywood star. His voice felt like an angel singing you a sweet lullaby before the kick of the bass and drums really amplified the next few songs. Rocking away on his guitar, with a few kicks here and there, you couldn’t help but dance to his exhilarating and upbeat songs including, ‘High’ and ‘Evangeline’. 

Yet, amongst all the songs he played, it was one particular tune that had the crowd in absolute awe – ‘Until I Found You’. This song has been around for a while but became a TikTok sensation of late. I have never seen so many couples connect to such a song in one room, making it extremely heartwarming to watch amongst the crowd. It is the perfect song to slow dance to, at any point in time. 

Surprised by how many fans rushed through the doors at the beginning of the night, Sanchez kept them on their toes until the very last strumming of his guitar. Gifted with a gracious amount of Australian treats, this superstar American singer captivated the hearts of many people of all ages; leaving a sweet and soulful tinge to his time down under.

Written by Ishani Buff.