Tex Crick & Jessica Pratt — Princess Theatre, Brisbane

Tuesday night serenity and musical mysticism

The Princess Theatre’s Open Season kicked off with an evening of rare beauty and intimacy, featuring the warm charm of Tex Crick and the ethereal presence of Jessica Pratt. For many, it was a first-time experience seeing a seated show at the venue—and it proved to be the perfect setting for a night of quiet transcendence.

Opening the evening, Tex Crick stepped into a soft blue glow, settling at a Wurlitzer keyboard and gently easing the audience into a state of calm. His set was a blend of rich, nostalgic tones—bass, nylon-string guitar, and brushed drums mingling effortlessly. Crick’s melodic sensibility and understated groove created moments that felt both groovy and melancholic, anchored by the easy flow between his bandmates.

His personable nature and understated humour translated beautifully on stage, instantly endearing him to the crowd. With songs like Droplet, a fully instrumental piece performed solo on keys, conjuring the quiet clarity of a dewy morning to Easy Keepers, a track that showcased his crooning vocals at their most tender and affecting. There’s a sincerity in Crick’s delivery that’s hard to fake— like a long-lost 70s balladeer discovered on a dusty vinyl in someone’s attic. On Easy Keepers, this quality shone through most clearly, inviting the audience into his quiet world of soft grooves and wistful reflections.

As the lights shifted to a scarlet hue, Jessica Pratt made an unforgettable entrance, walking on stage with two glasses of wine—setting the tone for a set filled with mystique and poise. Pratt’s voice is unlike any other: soft, surreal, as though filtered live through analog tape. From the moment she strummed the first chords of World on A String, the room was hushed, collectively held in her spell.

Joined by a band that offered subtly rich support— keys mirroring her vocal lines, a bassist who occasionally switched to nylon-string guitar, and a percussionist with a deeply tasteful approach—Pratt’s set shimmered with detail. Triangle, woodblock, saxophone, and keys added texture and syncopation, giving her compositions depth.

Every aspect of the performance felt intentional. Songs often bled into one another, with meanings left open to interpretation. The audience remained entranced even during tuning breaks—evidence of just how magnetic her presence was. A slow piano number, performed with eyes closed and lights dimmed, was a clear emotional peak, soon giving way to layers of delayed guitar and serene vocals that washed over the crowd like a tide.

The final song of the main set, Life Is, stood out for its complex and captivating percussion arrangement—snare, tom, woodblock, and bongos weaving beneath Pratt’s vocals in a hypnotic pulse.

An encore followed—a delicate duo piece, again under scarlet light—before the night closed with a blue-lit dedication to a friend who had just become a parent. It was a fittingly tender conclusion to a show that balanced intimacy, nostalgia, and mysticism.

A Tuesday night rarely feels this special. With a seated audience fully immersed in the music, Tex Crick and Jessica Pratt delivered a show that was both sonically rich and emotionally resonant—a perfect curtain-raiser for Open Season at the Princess Theatre.