Alone, Together With Medium Build

Photographs by Eloise Beath

The air was brisk on the final night of winter in Melbourne. Fitzroy was quiet, just a small handful of diners scattered throughout the low lit restaurants lining Brunswick Street. But as I neared the beloved Evelyn Hotel, a faint hum began to build. Crammed into the bandroom was an eccentric audience, young, old, bald guys, guys with man buns, loved up couples and groups of girlfriends. They waited with bated breath to finally see US singer-songwriter Medium Build perform live. 

At the very tail end of supporting Alex Warren for his Australian tour, Medium Build (a.k.a Nick Carpenter) treated Melbourne to not one but two very intimate headline shows at the Evelyn Hotel. Armed only with his guitar and powerhouse vocals, Carpenter mesmerised his audience.

One minute before he was due on stage, the crowd began chanting “Medium Build, Medium Build” over and over with unadulterated enthusiasm. Carpenter strolled on stage, grinning ear to ear as he kicked off the show with Never Learned to Dance, a soulful track inspired by his struggle and journey through success There has to be better shit to give a shit about /

Instead of wondering what people think about me now//. Some fans sang along passionately, however, many stood still, spellbound with the eyes completely transfixed by the performance. 

The setlist for the evening was unconfirmed, even by Carpenter. He admits to the audience, “I like to change it up every set”, inviting a flurry of song requests from around the room. With such an expansive catalogue of music, fans old and new had their favourites at the ready to call out. The show felt part stand-up comedy, part live gig. At times, I watched as Carpenter even made the sound techs laugh. Engaging with his audience every chance he could, even having a fan up on stage for the Australian tradition of doing a ‘shoey’ together. 

Drug Dealer, released in June this year, was a personal highlight of the show. The track is a devastatingly relatable exploration of isolation and loneliness. Playing a stripped down version, the crowd became a choir in the final chorus, we go on and on and on, looking for someone // softly harmonising with Carpenter's extraordinary vocals. A shared tender moment with strangers who understand what it means to feel alone, together. 

As the show was coming to an end, Carpenter gave his audience a choice between two tracks to round out the show, White Male Privilege being the overwhelming preference. The track explores Carpenter's personal journey with the disenchantment of his societal privileges and how they ultimately led to loneliness and disconnection. Vocally, Carpenter ended the show just as strong as he began it. 

Medium Build’s ability to draw in his audience and blow them away with raw and hypnotising vocals, paired with his painfully candid songwriting makes him a music heavyweight in the making. With a new album on the way (date TBC), no doubt we’ll be seeing Carpenter back in Oz for this very own headline tour, of which should not be missed. In the meantime, pop on your headphones, throw on some Medium Build, and be whisked away into the depths of your feelings.