Megan Washington - Sydney, Metro Theatre 21/01/15

If the wall of silver fringing, helium love heart balloons and sizeable disco ball are anything to go by, Megan Washington is planning a serious party. Her band has nailed the disco-look complete with glitter war paint on their cheeks and brows – because if you’re going to wear face paint, it may as well sparkle.

Washington bounds onto the stage to the frantic beats of Holy Moses, already racing and set to power through hit after high-energy hit in quick succession, including The Hardest Part, Get Happy, Who Are You?, Navy Blues and Skyline.

When she finally takes a breath, she’s quick to warn the audience. “Well, that was the fun part of the set over and done with now! So it’s all heartbreak from here in!” She takes things down a notch with Begin Again, but judging by the response, a little heartbreak is more than welcome.

A huge part of Washington’s appeal is her what-you-see-is-what-you-get attitude. After forgetting the end to crowd favourite Underground she laments, “It’s moments like these that make me wonder how I do this as a profession?” No-one else is wondering though — her raw talent speaks for itself.

Support act Montaigne is brought back out for a great cover of I Think We’re Alone Now. After already racking up some bold, soulful radio hits of her own, including I’m A Fantastic Wreck and I Am Not An End, it’s hard to believe Montaigne is only 18.

But it’s young Greg Chiapello and his song Hot Coffee that really steals the show. Megan knows she’s picked a winner with this kid. “I heard this song that he wrote and I was like, ‘That guy, that song! I’m dead!’” Chiapello’s opening set completely won over the crowd with his bluesy vibes and sweet falsetto, and his and Washington’s duet on Hot Coffee is a standout of the evening.

Holding the microphone in her teeth while she smashes out the keys, dancing on the speakers, running on the spot: it’s no wonder the woman they call Washo can barely stand by the end of the night. She closes with an epic encore set including a cover Kanye’s Runaway, proving once and for all there is absolutely nothing this woman can’t pull off.

Megan Washington finishes up her national tour in Adelaide and Perth this Friday and Saturday. See details below.