Tash Sultana – Return To Roots, Live at Melbourne’s Iconic Forum
Written and Captured By | Lucas Packett
Walking into the Forum on Saturday night, there was a palpable sense of homecoming. Tash Sultana’s return to Australia for their first headline shows in six years promised something more than a standard tour — it felt deeply personal.
Perth’s South Summit opened the evening with a dynamic and polished 30-minute set that seamlessly blended elements of alt-rock, reggae-infused grooves, and soulful, emotionally charged vocals. Their performance not only showcased the band’s tight musicianship and distinctive sound but also immediately engaged the crowd, creating a warm and lively atmosphere that perfectly set the stage for the night’s main performance.
When Tash Sultana and the band finally took the stage, the energy surged. Over the next two hours, they wove together new material from Return to Roots with beloved tracks from across their catalogue. While I didn’t have an official setlist in hand, the performance included standouts such as “Milk & Honey”, “Kiss the Sky”, “Hold On”, “Ain’t It Kinda Funny”, “Jungle”, “Pretty Lady”, and more.
What distinguished this show was how the full band elevated songs that fans often hear in more stripped-back arrangements. On “Hold On,” the saxophone lines curled into the space, complementing Tash’s piano and voice in a way that felt spacious yet grounded. In tracks like “Kiss the Sky,” the horn tones added warmth and depth, giving new colour to the dub-inflected grooves. Meanwhile, “Milk & Honey” unfurled with rhythmic interplay between the drums and bass, letting Tash’s vocals float over the top. At one point, the band dropped out for a delicate break, and the room hushed — a moment of intimacy in a larger-than-life show.
The crowd was utterly invested. Hands waved in the air, voices sang along, and by the time “Jungle” closed the set, the room was in full exultation. Tash’s signature looping and multitrack layering remained a key part of the show, but with the band alongside, the textures were richer and the dynamics broader. Some transitions felt almost cinematic — quiet builds giving way to full-band crescendos that hit hard.
If there was a criticism, it’s that a few moments dragged a little in the middle; certain slow interludes felt a touch extended, especially between the big hitters. But in those pauses, Tash would often lean into crowd banter or allow echoes of applause to resonate, which kept the connection alive.
Overall, the Melbourne leg of Return to Roots succeeded as both a celebration and a reinvention. Tash showed that going “back to roots” doesn’t mean retreat — it means bringing everything learned forward, weaving new voices and the old into something richer. For fans, it was a night to remember.