[Live Review] John Butler: an ocean of nuances at Le Transbordeur

It had been 15 years since Lyon last welcomed John Butler, following a memorable concert back in 2010 during the John Butler Trio era. The inimitable Australian returned tonight with a quartet, presenting songs from his album Prism, while quickly reassuring the audience: “There will be a mix of new songs and old ones tonight.”

Indeed, the show delivered nearly two hours of a hybrid set blending signature tracks from the John Butler Trio with more recent compositions clearly designed for the stage. A night marked by subtle contrasts, moments of acoustic grace, and that ever-present political awareness that remains central to the Australian musician’s identity. John Butler warned us: “Hopefully we make you laugh, and hopefully we make you cry.” Blues Actu was there, here’s what we saw.

A first act full of surprises

The evening began with a rather chaotic twist. Unannounced at first, the surprise opening act started 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled time, causing us to miss almost the entire set of an artist who clearly deserved attention. Noah Dillon, a young artist from Perth whose melodic folk and soaring vocals sometimes recall Jeff Buckley, was therefore on stage tonight… until a fire alarm triggered by smoke in the backstage area (incense – only incense!) suddenly interrupted his performance mid-song. When things go wrong, they really go wrong. The artist returned a few minutes later for one final a cappella piece, performed in complete silence. The audience applauded with warmth, frustrated at not being able to discover more of Noah Dillon’s musical universe.

And then, John Butler steps on stage

At exactly 8:30 p.m., John Butler walked on stage with his new line-up. The trio has become a quartet, and it’s immediately clear that this new configuration offers him far more freedom to explore and mix different textures. A clear break from the John Butler Trio era of Sunrise Over Sea and the albums that followed. The show opened with Going Solo, the track that also opens Prism, released earlier this year. John Butler quickly set the tone with a dense, almost overloaded sound built around loops and an organic rhythmic approach. He chatted with the audience, joked about language, tried a few words of French but admitted he couldn’t speak it well. In short, he seemed relaxed and genuinely happy to be there.

So Sorry continued along this path before a drastic and refreshing shift: Hoe Down, played on banjo, plunged the room into a very rootsy country atmosphere. The energy rose again with Better Than, an iconic track from the John Butler Trio years and from his excellent album Grand National. We rediscovered the sound that first drew many of us to this singular artist. Barely three songs in, John Butler was already announcing the tone or rather, the tones. If one expected to classify him in a single genre, that idea quickly fell apart. And honestly, that’s great.

A John Butler concert with a four-piece band on stage, lit by bluish lights and a large suspended moon, in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Australia, my love

Gets No Better marked what could be called a more meditative shift. John Butler spoke of his love for Australia — his trips far from civilisation, the nights without Wi-Fi, the Milky Way he loves to watch, the campfires, and this lifelong quest for freedom. The vocal harmonies were superb, with the audience singing back echoes.

Then came one of the artist’s signature moments: seated with the guitar on his lap, he picked up his famous Weissenborn, crafted by Australian luthier Phil Carson Crickmore. The Way Back and Wade in the Water unfolded in extended versions, stripped down, hypnotic, and deeply immersive.

With Doing Just Fine, John Butler turned more political. He reflected on the COVID-19 period and humorously referenced the “new scientists” who suddenly appeared on Facebook during the pandemic. The song carries shades of southern rock, with warmth reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska era, or certain touches of the Allman Brothers.

He followed with a song that wasn’t on the initial setlist, proof that John Butler let himself be guided by the moment’s inspiration. And what a great choice: Bullet Girl, a gem from his album Flesh & Blood. Performed in a stripped-down piano-and-tambourine setup, it beautifully highlighted Ian Peres on keyboards. An unexpected and suspended moment.

An ocean of textures

One of the most striking aspects of the evening was the constant interaction with the audience and his ability to improvise based on its reactions. At the very first chord of Ocean, the room immediately erupted. John Butler stopped and joked: “Hey! I did nothing yet. Calm down.” Ocean is one of those instrumentals fans await like a ceremony. Just before starting again, John Butler shifted into storyteller mode, speaking about his grandfather. Then the message grew political once more:
« Free Palestine. Everybody deserve freedom. We are always stronger together. » The instrumental finally surged: arpeggios, tapping, climbs and drops, a full journey through a storm of textures.

The last part of the set showcased some of the strongest pieces from the John Butler Trio catalogue: Used to Get High, King of California, Treat Yo Mama. Before the latter, a short, inspired blues piano interlude preceded the arrival of a slide guitar, a moment that could easily have lasted longer.

A few seconds of Treat You Mama. John Butler at Le Transbordeur.

With Trippin On You, the energy rose once again. Then the room exploded on Zebra. From the first riff, the audience became the fifth member of this new line-up, made up tonight of Michael Barker on drums and percussion, Michael Boase also on percussion, and Ian Peres, alternating between bass guitar and keyboards. The chemistry between the musicians was flawless, always serving John Butler’s music, who remained the central force.

The encore opened with Peaches & Cream, performed solo at first. The musicians then returned on stage for Funky Tonight, a groovy, energetic finale, the perfect way to close a remarkable evening.

For this return to Lyon, John Butler delivered a generous, nuanced, varied and sincere performance. This new formation gives him total freedom to craft a refined blend of introspective moments, folk, blues, and reimagined classics alongside new tracks from his excellent album Prism. Highlights of the evening? Doing Just Fine, a deeply inhabited rendition of Ocean, the magnificent Bullet Girl, and a joyous, ever-powerful Zebra.