It’s been only three months since Marshall Hamburger was one of numerous competitors on Australian Idol. I clearly recall the quality of his audition. He was a standout. I followed his televised journey as he went on to win the competition. Fresh off his Australian Idol victory this April, he quickly went on perform publicly.
I’d recognised the signs of potential, future stardom. He’s a Queenslander and I live in Queensland. Presuming he would launch in his home state, I kept a lookout for a potential shows I could attend and review.
I was there at our Art-Deco gem, The Tivoli on Saturday night (12 July) for Marshall’s first major performance in Brisbane. As he told the audience, he was previously a student here in Brisbane. That couldn’t have been too long ago as the guy is still only nineteen.
I’d anticipated an audience filled with fifteen year old school girls. I was wrong. The crowd that warmly welcomed this young artist was very multi-generational. That in itself is an achievement. It shows Marshall has widespread appeal and it portends well for ticket sales to future shows.
Hamburger’s retro-geek meets-modern-guy style has a timeless charm. Both before and after the show there were queues to purchase his tee shirt and cap from the merchandise stand.
There was no interval and the carefully curated 80-minute show flowed like a smooth narrative. Moving between being seated at the classic, black grand piano; standing in front of, and getting funky on the keyboards, Marshall showed versatility.
He’s a born performer and considering his age and experience level, he already shines. An outstanding musician with fine vocals and lively moves, he amazed the applauding audience. I had to keep reminding myself of his young age.
In what has been an enormous year for him, Hamburger’s Tivoli performance is another early-career milestone-success. I predict that there’s much more to come as he continues to develop and writes his own material.
Backed by a band including percussionist and cute vocalists, it was a quality show with professional lighting and sound engineering. Marshall has the benefit of having seasoned musicians as parents. His father who performed throughout the show, seemed to be the ‘concertmaster’.
When the show concluded, the crowd called for and got ‘one more song’. As I departed, the queue to Marshall signing merchandise resembled an airport boarding gate.
An excellent evening and an ongoing journey to follow.
Marshall Hamburger
The Tivoli, 52 Costin St, Fortitude Valley (QLD)
Performance: Saturday 12 July 2025
For more information, visit: www.marshallhamburgermusic.com for details.
Image: Marshall Hamburger (sourced)
Review: Michele-Rose Boylan