Australian multi-instrumentalist Tash Sultana kicked off their first night at the Fox Theater in Oakland to a sold out crowd. This show was unlike any other show I had been to in the past. Tash had an elaborate set up on stage that consisted of an eclectic collection of instruments. As a first timer to a Tash Sultana show and an audio nerd, I was excited to see that stage come to life and see how a single person would be able to make it sound like there was a huge band on stage.
Joining Tash on tour was fellow Australian, Josh Cashman, who is a bit of a multi- instrumentalist himself. The genre of music he played was a little more on the “pop- indie-folk” side, but overall very upbeat and the perfect person to have had warm up the crowd. With just a guitar and prerecorded loops on hand, he was able to make it feel like there was a lot happening on stage. As he ended his set, there was a big QR code displayed on the backdrop. A very clever way to get people to scan and bring up a ticket page for an upcoming show nearby.
As his set came to an end, the house lights came on and the venue had suddenly become packed with fans waiting in anticipation. It did take a little longer than expected for Tash to make their way to the stage, but its understandable that all the equipment had to be set to perfection. As soon as Tash came out and started playing, it was fascinating to see the process of looping all the elements together to be able to create a song. A process that I’m sure took a long time to get down, but was made to look so effortless.
To view more upcoming shows, visit Tash’s website
