Review: Colin Hay mixes craftsmanship and comedy at Bing Crosby Theater

If Colin Hay wasn’t such a strong singer-songwriter, you might think that the former leader of Men at Work missed his calling. The dry Aussie’s entertaining 105-minute set Sunday at the Bing Crosby Theater was filled with humorous anecdotes.

Hay, 66, could have been a comedian. While delivering his solo acoustic set in front of four guitars, Hay waxed about his career, which features an unusual trajectory.

“It’s been an erratic run for me,” Hay said. “My first two albums sold millions of copies and then nothing.”

1981’s “Business as Usual” and 1983’s “Cargo” were commercial monsters for Men at Work. More than 30 million albums were sold thanks to those quirky but catchy songs.

But Hay is much more than Men at Work. His solo material, which dates back to 1987 with the under-heralded “Looking for Jack,” dwarfs his output as the leader of Men at Work, which clocked in at three albums.

So it made sense that four of the 17 songs selected for the setlist at the Bing were from the Men at Work catalog.

After delivering a moody version of the Men at Work smash “Who Can It Be Now?” Hay waxed about the pretty “Melbourne Song,” which failed to make the “Business as Usual” album. Hay detailed how the song was written during the same period but failed to catch on.

It was a night to showcase under the radar gems such as the pretty “Frozen Fields of Snow,” the clever and amusing “Beautiful World” and “Goodnight Romeo,” which was inspired by Hay’s father.

Hay’s supportive parents had a huge impact on the singer-songwriter t’s confidence. Hay spoke about losing his parents and the changes in his career.

“I used to have guys hand me finely tuned guitars,” Hay said. “But that’s the first thing to go.”

There would have been a rimshot if there was a drummer present. The humble Hay constantly cracks wise about his career, but it’s an enviable one. Hay has been a working musician for 40 years.

One song can make the difference for a singer-songwriter, and that was the case for the jaunty chart-topper “Down Under.” “Kids ask me if a career as a songwriter is a good one,” Hay said. “I tell them about ‘Down Under.’ It took me 40 minutes to write the song, so, yeah, being a songwriter can be really good.”

The native Scot’s career isn’t on the level of his contemporary Sting, who he joked about during the loose set. “Do you think Sting’s mother called him Sting?” Hay asked. “Gordon (Sting’s given name is Gordon), here’s your cup of tea.”

“Mum, my name is Sting.”

“Alright, Sting, here’s your cup of tea.”

For those in the know, Hay is significant. Actor Zac Braff boosted Hay’s career by tabbing him to act and provide music for his hit series “Scrubs.” The late comic genius Garry Shandling tabbed him to perform on his brilliant “Larry Sanders Show.”

Hay is an underground hero who deserves more attention but is fine without the limelight. It’s a delight to experience his well-crafted songs and anecdotes.

Hay, who left life Down Under to live in Los Angeles, spoke about how he ironically overcame his battle with the bottle by moving to the City of Angels. “You’re not a high-functioning alcoholic,” Hay was informed. “You’re just like us.”

It’s evident that Hay isn’t just like us. Not many songsmiths have the ability to create cerebral, hook-laden songs that are often infused with a sense of humor.

“Songs hang backstage filing their nails, saying, ‘He likes me best. He’ll play me last,’ ” Hay joked.

A member of the audience asked Hay if he would perform “Overkill,” which is the last big Men at Work hit. “Of course I will. Do you think I’m insane?” Hay said.

The pop gem closed out an entertaining and at times unpredictable set from a criminally overlooked craftsman.