Adelaide 36er Isaac ‘Big Ice’ Humphries melted the frostiest hearts with Unearthed. To be fair, there were no frosty hearts for the opening night of his debut Adelaide Fringe show. Only those full of love and admiration for Adelaide’s adopted son. In 2022, Humphries publicly came out as gay. He was, and still is, the only male professional basketball player in the world to do so. Unearthed tells the story of his journey to that point and beyond through song. You may ask whether this professional athlete has the talent and ability to successfully put on a cabaret show at the world’s second-largest annual arts festival? Yes, he most definitely does! The 2024 Adelaide Fringe ambassador dazzled a near-full Wonderland Spiegeltent with over an hour of song and story. From earnest originals Need Someone, Be Alright and the vibrant I’m So Much Better Without You, to popular covers including Good Enough (G Flip), Like I Can (Sam Smith), Hold Back the River (James Bay), Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen), Boys in the Street (Callum Scott), Somebody to Love (Queen) and I Believe in a Thing Called Love (The Darkness) Humphries offered an unforgettable night of entertainment. Humphries’s vocal range was sublime. The carefully curated set list showcased his soaring tenor notes while allowing for pause. The flow between song and storytelling was impeccable. He demonstrated vulnerability through the stories he shared. Something not seen on the basketball court. In turn, this sincerity created intimacy. We all knew we were experiencing something special in the Spielgeltent as we listened, cried, sang, and danced with Humphries. He felt it too, as evident by his pure elation on stage and incessant wide grin. Isaac Humphries offered a slam dunk performance with Unearthed. Big Ice proved he is a multi-faceted human and multi-talented artist and subsequently won the hearts of his fans all over again. Three more years!