CityLife

Dustin O'Halloran @ Bridgewater Hall

SUPPORT acts come and go, and for many, if the first track on the set list does not cut the mustard, they exit to the bar, counting down the minutes until the arrival of the main act.

Anyone who decided on this course of action on Tuesday night, preceding the mind blowing turn of charming chanteuse kd lang missed out on a serene, small but perfectly-formed concert, filled with poignant and memorable moments.

Dustin recorded his newest release Piano Solos in Italy on a grand 1930's restored Swiss Sabel piano.

But, before you imagine an earnest bore tinkling the ivories ever so thoughtfully, think again. The effect of listening to O'Halloran's haunting half hour was absolutely spell-binding. Reminiscent of the marvellous Michael Nyman, each beautiful track evokes a mini narrative.

I was reminded of Nyman's best soundtracks; The Piano and The End Of The Affair. Dustin's music takes you away from the numbness of 24 hour news, text messaging, consumerism and boring blockbuster movies and leaves you feeling calmly appreciate of what life has to offer you.

Sense

There is fragility to each note, leaving you with the same sense of longing that you imagine Dustin has when he has not played for a while.

In the UK, we celebrate the talents of both Billy Joel and Elton John's piano playing as they have all the bells and whistles that come with showbiz. Like kd, herself, O'Halloran just gets on the with the job in hand, completely effortlessly, with no need for a fanfare.

His dry wit and un-showy approach to his music is incredibly endearing, so it's no wonder the likes of Sofia Coppola have already worked with this talented musician.

His wonderfully evocative storytelling complemented Lang's humble tour de force performance. In short, a perfect support act who I would love to see headlining next time around.