Margaret Court Arena – Melbourne. 13th December 2025
Review: Mun Rosewarne. Photos: Jonathan White
How does a four-year Jacob Collier Djesse World tour, beginning in Portugal February 2019, featuring 345 concerts across 26 countries wrap up? The closing show was in Melbourne, with the final playful minutes coloured by the voices of his beloved Melbourne audience at Margaret Court Arena.
Jacob Collier’s previous Melbourne concert was in 2022 to a smaller but no less enthusiastic audience at the Forum. A show of hands indicated a significant number of those participants were also present at the concert last night; loyal participants who have become accustomed Jacob’s exuberant entrance on stage and limitless physicality throughout the 120-minute musical supernova.
This time, the stage setup and synchronised light and visual design seemed pared back and more focused. Jacob’s renown undisciplined tendency to experiment with absolutely everything has not been exclusive of stagecraft. On Saturday night, he brought his custom-built production system, designed with MIT music technologist Ben Bloomberg that operates on a combination of hardware and software for real-time audio and lighting control. The obvious piece of gear is the custom vocal harmoniser that was used in a few songs, notably in his solo cover of Bridge Over Troubled Waters.
Not so noticeable, except to the large proportion of musical tech nerds present was his looping station, powered by Dante’s network audio and capable of simultaneous playback at incredibly low latency (less than one millisecond). It is critical for eliminating compounded delays in live looping. Luke Edward’s lighting design is interactive and highly dynamic, featuring rich saturated colours, pulsing, spraying, fading, punching, responding in real time to the live performance set against the background of an equally responsive synchronised video. It was obvious that years of invention and tweaking of the technology has now been honed and naturalised into a seamlessly integrated piece of the show.
The set began with 100,000 Voices from his studio album Djesse Vol.4. Songs also performed from Djesse Vol.4 included Wellll, Wherever I Go, Little Blue, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, and Mi Corazón, which began with a mini drum-off.
Collier co-lab classics like the groovy, hip hop Time Alone with You and the boppy, jazzed All I Need reminded us of the quirky lush harmonic adventures of Djesse Vol.3. Jacob described those early forays into unusual harmonies as ‘irresponsible’! Djesse Vol.2’s incredibly sensual Feel produced maximum feels by first timer 20-year-old Parijita Bastola’s honeyed vocals.
Under a diffused spotlight, Jacob grabbed his crocodile plushie and pulled up a low stool to spend time speaking with his audience. He framed his relationship with Melbourne within the vast musical journey over the last four years, whilst allowing Jethro the crocodile (born in Melbourne Airport 2019) to cushion the heartfelt conversation. Jethro fits comfortably within the musical themes of Jacob’s childlike musical universe.
And, this is why Jacob is able to conjure an extraordinary level of audience participation at his concerts. His music and embodiment attract the musically literate, the musically blessed, and the musically curious.
As an outsider, a pragmatist, the scene is of Jacob as a choirmaster playing with his favourite euphonious toy – the vast willing crowd. As an insider residing in the spirit of the final concert: the performance was a musical marvel, a living musical entity (Jacob, musicians, lights, visuals, technology) having a profound musical interaction with the super organism called the audience.
SET LIST:
100,000 Voices (Djesse Vol.4)
WELLLL (Djesse Vol.4)
Where Ever I Go (Djesse Vol.4)
Little Blue (Djesse Vol.4)
Feel (Djesse Vol.2)
Time Alone with You (Djesse Vol.3)
Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Djesse Vol.4)
Heaven/Butterflies (Light 4 Days)
All I need (Djesse Vol.3)
Drum Solo – Mi Corazon (Djessie Vol.4)
What a Wonderful World
Somethin’ Stupid
Encore
Over You (Djesse Vol.4)
Rap by Parijita Bastola
Rock You
Black bird – ushered in by audience bird/wind/wave/sand soundscape
Somebody to Love
THE BAND:
Parijita Bastola – vocals
Erin Bentalage – vocals, keyboard
Ben Jones – guitar
Robin Mullarkey – bass
Christian Euman – drums