2012 is a year that Australia's Gotye will not forget. It has been the year that has clearly changed his life and professional career forever thanks to the brilliant-yet-overplayed pop song, "Somebody That I Used To Know." On Monday night Gotye did something he has not done this year, perform at the legendary Ed Sullivan Theater and have one of his gigs simulcasted on the web. Thanks to the "Live on Letterman" series, Gotye and his band had that accomplishment checked off.
Walking through the crowd and arriving on stage to a massive screen that projected random images that ranged from everything from places on the Earth to cartoons, Gotye opened with the 80's New Wave-esque "Eyes Wide Open." From the get-go it was evident that the intricate and involved music he makes can indeed be reproduced on stage thanks to sensitive mics and utilizing the latest in music technology, every blip, beep, bop, and snap was heard. Also proving from the get-go, Gotye showed off that he has become very comfortable as a showman and musician, running from a stand-up drum kit to keyboards, random programming boards and other percussion instruments, he was a musical force in his own body. While his band would also show off their multi-instrumental muscles, the crowd was in awe. Playing a majority of tunes off his international smash, Making Mirrors, Gotye could do nothing but smile. After years of being a massive artist back in Oceania, he has now broken into the rest of the world, some will argue that it is thanks to "Somebody That I Used to Know," which he did perform with special guest Missy Higgins, but others will argue that it is raw talent that helped him get to were he is today. Whatever the argument may be, Gotye has to sustain the success he has obtained this year but one thing is for sure, playing a room like Ed Sullivan has to be a highlight and benchmark he may want to have to be invited back to do it again.
