one4review | On 04, Aug 2023

Anesti Danelis is a second generation Greek Canadian who as an accomplished musician has written and performs songs around the shows theme, with standup inbetween linking them into the self-improvement motif.

It quickly becomes clear that the audience will discover how Anesti believes we can improve our experiences and our lives. His advice for family, love and work is that we should change our perspective to change our lives.

The predominant content is his extended Greek family and how that impacts him (until recently at the age of 31 still living at home and helping with chores) particularly what that humorously means for his love life.

Anesti tells us that Greek music is full of life messages, demonstrating this with a humourous traditional Greek song about goats that he learnt from his grandfather, which is the shows highlight.

His songs that he accompanies with guitar, keyboard and violin are upbeat, and when he sings with his guitar he sometimes is reminscent of early Phil Nichol, and when on keyboard has a feel of Tim Minchin. And he improvised musically when a phone rang out, warming the audience to him all the more because it was in the moment.

At the last moment Anesti shifts his shows message to recommending simply being ourselves.

Reviewed by HJ on 4 August 2023

3***
Clover, Underbelly Bristo Square
15:55 (1hr)
3-25 (not 14) August