“They just want to hear the music,” Colin Hay said as he spoke of his past experiences touring the globe, scribbling down lyrics, late night car rides, and his passion for collecting guitars during the latest performance at the Leon Loft on Tuesday, January 17.

“There have been times when I thought should I just give it up,” Hay said. “But, it was always the audience that kept encouraging me to continue on playing and writing.”

The Leon Loft was filled with all ages of Hay fans. From whisperings of Hay’s performances on the indie darling soundtrack to the film Garden State to stories of dancing to Men at Work tunes like “Down Under” on vinyl, the room was filled with a genuine appreciation of the contributions Hay has made to the world of music.

Perhaps even more stunning, was Hay’s appreciation for the audience. “I used to play to smaller crowds, it was more of a usual thing in the past. It’s really great to be here,” he said.

Hay’s passion for music and dynamic storytelling ability shined as he spoke of growing up in his parent’s music store listening to songs like “Good Vibrations” and other influential California artists including The Doors, Joni Mitchell and more. “In those days, that was where I wanted to be. That’s where I felt it [California] was really where music was happening.”

Hay rose to fame in the 1980s as the frontman of Men at Work with hits including “Down Under”, “Overkill”, and “Who Can It Be Now”. Hay has redefined himself as a solo artist. He will release his thirteenth solo album, Fierce Mercy, on March 3, 2017.

He spoke to the audience as if we were longtime friends around a small dinner table. Sharing stories and picking at his acoustic guitar, gently lulling the audience with new songs like “Come Tumblin’ Down,” “The Last To Know,” “A Thousand Million Reasons”, and even closing the show with the audience requested “I Just Don’t Think I’ll Ever Get Over You.” Hay was like an old friend—warm and true. His authenticity pierced the room and created a connection with the audience around him.

You can watch Part 2 of Colin Hay’s performance at the Leon Loft here.

Because music is our first love, we created the Leon Loft, a dedicated performance space at our headquarters in Ann Arbor, MI. At this intimate, live venue, we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming some of today’s biggest artists for a live recording of Acoustic Café with Rob Reinhart, all broadcast live on ann arbor’s 107one. For more information about the Leon Loft, visit www.leonloft.com or watch past performances on our YouTube channel.