EUGENE HIDEAWAY BRIDGES – THE FYREFLY, ST KILDA. Saturday March 2nd, 2019.
Review and photos by Greg Phillips
Downstairs at St. Kilda’s Fyrefly live music venue was the perfect place to be on a sweltering Saturday night in Melbourne. While it was oppressive outside, inside the club the situation was mighty impressive. It was cool and comfortable, with fabulous entertainment provided by Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges, one of the most soulful blues performers you’ll ever experience.
Taking us on a journey through his life via song, Bridges reminisced about his childhood, speaking of the life lessons provided by his parents and the musicians who had influenced him along the way. Eugene’s voice is smooth as silk, his music full of sweet melodies and his guitar playing is incredibly fluid. No pedals, just slick fingers on a fretboard going straight into an amp.
Bridges is a man that wears his heart on his sleeve, dedicating a fair chunk of the evening to his musical heroes such a BB King (Sweet Little Angel) and then Sam Cooke, whom he devoted a large portion of the second set to with a medley of Cooke hits that the audience lapped up. However it’s with Eugene’s originals that you get a true sense of the artist’s humour and view on life. “Mom and Daddys Place” tells the tale of the old fashioned tradition of asking your girlfriend’s parents for her hand in marriage. In another song he details a truth that many musicians face, “My Take Home Pay Won’t Take Me Home”. The gorgeous ballad “I’ll Be A King” describes the joy of having a partner to come home to. Finishing with “Rise Above It” Eugene asks us all to never give up on anything. If you’ve never witnessed a Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges gig, I urge you to check him out. He may tour the world constantly but he’s never too far away from Australia.
https://www.fyreflystkilda.com.au/
