Dan Sultan, The Toff In Town, Melbourne, 26th June 2013

Dan Sultan @ The Toff In Town

It isn’t often these days you get the privilege of seeing an artist perform solo and stripped back, so it is indeed a rare treat when you do. The audience at the Toff In Town were treated to just that when Dan Sultan took the stage for his Back To Basics tour.

Quiet in anticipation, fans were seated around a few scattered tables at the front of the stage, the arrangement creating an intimate feel. With the curtains soon parting, the silence was momentarily broken as Sultan emerged to greet the appreciative crowd.

Flanked by nothing more than two guitars and as many amplifiers, the evening was to provide Sultan with a unique opportunity to showcase a collection of new songs before heading off to the U.S. to record his much anticipated forthcoming third album.

Striking up a rapport with the crowd, the Melbourne singer chatted comfortably for a time before thanking them “for coming and listening to my new stuff. Some songs you may know, most you won’t though, so thanks for coming.”

Taking up his gold Gibson Les Paul, Sultan opened with a tune certainly familiar to the predominantly female crowd, the much loved ‘Walk through my dreams’. Normally performed with a full band at his side, the tune took on a new texture in the intimate surrounds, nicely setting the scene for the evening that was to follow.

One thing is for sure, the singer-songwriter can certainly hold an audience in the palm of his hand with ease. With a voice that is both smooth, and yet at times, rugged, the evening was peppered throughout with a mix of beautiful ballads and solid rock ‘n’ roll tunes, showcasing his magnificent and diverse style.

Every emotion filled delivery conveyed a true sincerity and pride in his craft, from the beautiful ballad featuring the lyric ‘lonely lover, I’m lonely too’, sure to be a favourite, through to the self-assured ‘Rattlesnake’, a rock ‘n’ roll tune played in true Sultan style.

By far, the highlight of the evening was the moving performance of ‘Kimberly Calling’, an emotional story about the singer songwriter’s journey to discover the whereabouts of his grandmother’s grave. Located on a beach under some palm trees along the beautiful Western Australian coastline, Sultan provides a truly heartrending moment of the evening with this song. His voice wavering at times, the performance stole the hearts of many.

While the night was filled with many new tunes, the evening was rounded out with a choice from his 2009 ARIA award winning release, Get Out While You Can, the much adored ‘Old Fitzroy’; a perfectly fitting close to the evening, seamlessly linking the old with the new.

A truly memorable evening, Dan Sultan’s Back To Basics show signaled the artist’s forthcoming album will most certainly deliver another delight to fans and music lovers all around the globe, and we can’t wait for it to be released.

Review also featured on Tonedeaf.com.au http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/reviews/shows/319924/dan-sultan.htm

Michael Kiwanuka, St Michael’s Church in Melbourne, 26th March

There is something uniquely special about attending a live performance in a church. An intimate affair, listeners are treated to the kind of rare musical experience that can only occur within the rich acoustics and ethereal atmosphere of such a setting.

A place of worship, St Michael’s Church in Melbourne was indeed a fitting location for British soul musician Michael Kiwanuka to perform many of the brilliant songs that feature on his debut album Home Again.

Kiwanuka’s contemporary, yet timeless sound provided a perfect match for the surrounds and a real treat for the audience who attended.

The evening was opened by the lovely Ainslie Wills. Set against the architectural magnificence of the church’s towering organ pipes, Wills’ crisp, choral vocals carried through the venue in a truly celestial manner, setting the scene for the wonderful evening of music to follow.

Kiwanuka and his band followed and opened with a heightened instrumental piece, taking full advantage of the acoustics of the space. The singer then moved into the playful “Tell Me A Tale”, further making the most of the opportunity to perform ‘electrified’ in such a wonderful venue.

With a selection of guitars on hand, a quick change allowed the artist to move easily into “Worry Walks Beside Me”, an expressive and engaging song that instantly slowed the pace to something more familiar to fans.

This is where Kiwanuka really began to shine. With a voice and sound that belie his years, his soulful and smooth tone resonated through the open space, blanketing the audience in a beautiful, rich sound.

Casually dressed, familiar and friendly, Kiwanuka comfortably chatted with the audience between songs. A softly spoken man, he openly and playfully shared insights into what he likes about his own music, joking, “even songwriters have a boss…  there will always be some songs the boss doesn’t care about, but I care about them”.

He then proudly revealed ”Any Day Will Do Fine” as  “one of mine that I love to play”. Performing the song simply, stripped back with just vocals and an acoustic guitar, he provided the audience with a true highlight for the evening.

The artist also shared insights of his many musical influences, setting the scene for a beautifully delivered acoustic rendition of Hendrix classic “May This Be Love”, which he clearly enjoyed playing.

By far the most anticipated song of the night was “Home Again”, which Kiwanuka described in good humour as “a song the boss does care about!“ With the crowd silent until this point, a low supportive vocal began to emanate from audience as if joining in a hymn – something beautifully appropriate to the setting.

The performance was over all too soon, with the final song being the heartening tune “I’ll Get Along”. Not content for this to be the conclusion of the evening, the audience took to its feet with cheers and applause to entice the singer out for an encore performance.

Kiwanuka and his band then performed “Lasan”, which appears on the US release of Home Again. It’s a slow paced song of farewell, and a perfect way to round out the evening.

A beautiful performance by a lovely musician, Michael Kiwanuka is undeniably an artist with talent, sound and charm, the likes of which will always leave you wanting more.

Also featured on Tonedeaf.com.au http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/reviews/shows/287804/michael-kiwanuka-2.htm

 

 

 

Gregory Alan Isakov, Sisters Folk Festival, Oregon, 7th – 9th September 2012

Gregory Alan Isakov at the Sisters Folk Festival, Oregon.

Every now and then, fate offers us a gift, allowing us to happen across an artist who’s music captures our being and resonates so perfectly, we wonder where they’ve been our whole lives. Akin to falling in love, their music reaches out and touches us in a way that is so excruciatingly beautiful, it connects with every fiber of our existence so flawlessly, pure perfection.

For me, that artist is Gregory Alan Isakov. First discovering his music in 2010 in a Japanese ski video – an unlikely place to unearth the mellowed sounds of such an accomplished folk performer – my heart swelled as I listened to the simplicity of his tune. From that moment forward, ‘The Stable Song” instantly became a favourite, so much so that my husband and I chose it as the song to which we would have our first dance at our wedding.

Born in Jo’burg and now calling Colorado home, we were fortunate enough to see Gregory Alan and accompanying friends perform numerous shows at the Sisters Folk Festival in Oregon, September 2012. Making the 12 hour drive from Salt Lake with the exclusive intention of seeing him play, words can’t describe how honoured we were for the experience that followed.

Opening to a silent crowd of around 200 festival goers, and accompanied by Cellist, Philip Parker and Violinist, Jeb Bows, Gregory Alan effortlessly captivated the audience with the very first sound from his guitar. “Virginia May” was delivered simply, complete with perfect harmonies.

A beautiful balladeer, Isakov exudes an unassuming and comfortable, yet humble and potentially fragile existence behind the microphone. With words of pure poetry in both song and speech, it is easy to fall in love with the man. Rolling into “Big Black Car” and the ever beautiful “Dandelion Wine”, I was perched in the 2^nd row hanging on every word.

“Hope was a letter I never could send, well love was a country I couldn’t defend”

Speaking softly to the crowd between songs, Isakov shared beautiful insights into the inspiration behind his music, none more poignant than the telling behind “Evelyn”. Written about a lady who lived in the flat above his, “Evelyn” perfectly captures the essence that is this beautifully talented, thoughtful and truly special individual.

By far, the highlight of the weekend was the three times we heard the ‘The Stable Song” performed. With haunting violin, cello and faultless harmonies delivered by Bows and Parker, I cried like a baby each time. A truly emotive and sentimental piece, I’ll be forever grateful to have had the opportunity to see Gregory Alan perform it live.

What can I say. There aren’t enough words to describe just how beautiful and heartwarming Gregory Alan Isakov is both as a talented musician, and the person standing in front of me. I have laboured for months over whether to even publish this piece as the whole experience of seeing him perform live was thoroughly emotional (in a good way!) and as such, I wanted to be sure I did the beauty, honesty and gift that he embodies, justice.

Gregory Alan Isakov. You are a truly talented man and it was an absolute honour and pleasure to see and hear you play. I hope I get the opportunity to see you again somewhere, some day. Absolutely Stunning. 10 out of 10.

“All the tables nice and clean,
Evelyn’s asleep,
On the grave yard shift again,
selling gasoline”

http://gregoryalanisakov.com/

Gregory Alan Isakov, Sisters Folk Festival, Sisters, Oregon 7^th – 9^th September.

Virginia May

Big Black Car

The Universe

The Stable Song

Evelyn

Red and gold

Dandelion wine

Master and the hound

That Moon Song

Salt and the sea

If I go, I goin’

Counting Crows, The Rail Event Centre, Salt Lake City, 4th August 2012

Counting Crows at the Rail Event Centre, Salt Lake City.

I’ll never forget the first time I heard ‘Round Here’. For as long as air still fills my lungs, the memory will be indelibly printed on my brain.

A borrowed copy of ‘August and Everything After’ in hand, I had retreated to my room in what had become a nightly ritual in an ever increasing attempt to cope with the sudden and debilitating loss of my Dad. A father, husband and son unexpectedly taken, ‘August and Everything After’ had indeed come into my life at a time when I was unsure of whether I was allowed to be feeling something other than complete and utter devastation.

As I hit play, I remember becoming instantly absorbed, and within the first 8 bars I was hooked. The simplistic beauty of ‘Round Here’ had given rise to a welcome relief, which I know sounds cliché, still hearing that song for the first time drowned out all the noise in my mind and reached me at a time when I needed it most.

Music was as much my savior and solace back then as it is now, almost 20 years on with ‘August and Everything After’ still holding a very special place in my memory where heartbreak connected with hope. Needless to say, Counting Crows are a staple on the gig list whenever they are in town – which ever town I happen to be in (on this occasion, Salt Lake City).

Our first time at the Rail Event Centre (which essentially, was a big air-conditioned shed – predictably located near the rail line, down town), this gig was as much anticipated as it was needed. Admittedly a little home sick, I was in search of a pick-me-up in the form of a well constructed song and who better to deliver said medicine? No argument here!

For its ‘pool hall’ appearance outside, Rail Event Centre was surprisingly contemporary inside with easy front-and-centre access and a mezzanine level shouldering the stage for those who desired a better vantage point (and also, a mixed drink… strange liquor laws prevent the consumption of spirits at ground level, or so I’m lead to believe…). The lights went off around 9:15 with the band appearing soon after. Opening with ‘Rain King’ to a small (by Melbourne terms) but enthusiastic crowd of around 300 people, I remember thinking ‘great choice!’ as the audience became instantly involved, spurring the band on. The energy was sustained into ‘High Life’ which was delivered in true theatric style with Duritz musing to the crowd, at times through conversation, complete with hand embellished gestures. Five songs in, the crowd were still singing audibly to ‘Black and Blue’ with Duritz clearly loving it, occasionally interchanging his vocals for some commendable audience harmonisation. Visibly in his element, he was playing up to the interaction in a really relaxed and comfortable manner.

Loving every second of it, this gig was shaping up to be a great one. Great performance by all members of the band, great crowd interaction and great set list – you name it, this gig had it. Rolling through ‘Anna Begins’ and ‘Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby’, one of the more enjoyable aspects of the evening was how at ease Duritz appeared, almost playful in his relations with the crowd. He was plainly enjoying the performance and the audience were responding accordingly.

Not even rattled by messing up during ‘One More Night in Hollywood’, he took it in his stride, laughing about having to regain his place from the closest bar (preferably not upstairs!). Acknowledging the mistake graciously, the band finished the song in perfect form leaving no hint of the fits of laughter that had stopped it dead during the middle eight.

For me, by far the most anticipated song of the evening was, of course, ‘Round Here’. Coming close to the end of the night, it was unmistakably one of Duritz’ favourites and was performed brilliantly without a hint of self indulgence, even as he dissolved into a stream of consciousness exposing how beautifully flawed and perfectly tortured he really is. At times, almost forgetting the audience was present, Duritz gave the most moving performance of the night with this song and one for which I will be forever grateful. Beautifully emotional, I won’t say it bought a tear. Really, I won’t.

“Come outside, climb out your window before the world gets colder and we get any older, come outside, and run away…”

The band reset the atmosphere after a short break to round out the night with a well chosen encore set, a definite highlight of which was when all 18 musicians (comprising the band and rest of the Outlaw Roadshow) took the stage to give a fantastic rendition of Dylan’s ‘You Ain’t Going Nowhere’ which appears on their latest release. A clear pleaser, the strains could be heard disappearing well into the darkness as the crowd dispersed from the venue into the warm Summer evening…

I must say, this gig totally surpassed my wishes and expectations. A truly excellent and wholly memorable gig, hats off and considerable thanks to Counting Crows for giving such a fantastic performance. Easily up there in my top 3 gigs of all time, Adam Duritz is undeniably a brilliantly gifted and amazing individual. To have even an ounce of his talent would be completely overwhelming and I for one, will forever be in awe. If you ever get the opportunity, you must see Counting Crows live. An absolutely outstanding band and outstanding gig all round, 9 grand pianos out of 10.

http://www.countingcrows.com/

Counting Crows set list:

Rain King
High Life
Four Days
Hospital
Black and Blue
Anna Begins
Mercy
Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby
Children in Bloom
Good Time
Look at Miss Ohio
A Long December
Round Here
Le Ballet D’or
You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere
Hanging Around

My Morning Jacket, Twilight Concert Series, Salt Lake City, 2nd August 2012

My Morning Jacket on stage (courtesy MyMorningJacket.com)

The Twilight Concert Series is held every year during the summer in Pioneer Park, SLC. In years past, the series was funded solely by the city, with 2012 being the first to charge an entry fee due to the mounting costs of holding such an enormous event. I was more than willing to part with the meager $5 fee, which was more a donation than anything else and hardly seemed enough given the caliber of artists the season long event attracts each Thursday.

Thursday the 2^nd of August was no exception with Joshua James, who currently calls Utah home, gracing the stage as support to the headline act My Morning Jacket. A proud patriot, James and his band delivered a short and sweet 30 minute set, sadly only time enough for 5 songs. Although a bit pitchy in places, James’ unique vocal sound resonated well through the openness of the space with the acoustics remaining surprisingly solid – even with the gentle breeze blowing through the park. Hands down, the highlight of the set was when the a capella style strains of “Coal War” rang out. Showing no signs of the earlier pitch issues, James and the band delivered the song beautifully, bringing instant crowd engagement and reaching the masses with the obvious religious connection. A lovely surprise, Joshua James was a delight to see and listen to live. http://www.joshuajames.tv/blog/

Headliners for the night, My Morning Jacket opened their set with ‘evil urges’. From the get go, the band sound was really crisp and clear, particularly the guitar and piano with Jim James appearing on stage draped in a heavy cloak. Given the evening temperature was still hovering over the 30 degree mark, the cape was soon discarded as they moved into ‘off the record’ (which was spot on) and ‘circuital’.

Accompanied by the obligatory smoke machine and light show, I remember musing early on that the crowd were noticeably subdued. Thinking this a little strange, my olfactory system soon discovered the likely cause as the overpowering smell of dope filled the air. Now, I’ve been to countless festivals and gigs during my time, but not even Parliament Funkadelic came close to the nasal assault that the teenage crowd of Salt Lake delivered. The band must have copped it too as the irony was not lost when ‘out of my system’ started piping from the stage.

The set list for the night was an experiment in fluidity with KRCL (community radio station) giving a shout-out in the afternoon to support MMJ’s ‘spontaneous curation’ approach by asking fans to tweet with song suggestions As suggestions came in, the band appeared to pick what to play next on-the-fly. Thankfully, ‘first light’ made the list, as did ‘black metal’ (and rightfully so!) which gets the nod for the highlight of the set for being the only song the band actually appeared to enjoy playing.

To be perfectly honest, I was a little disappointed with MMJ live. While I enjoy their music and their sound on the night was nothing short of great, they appeared to be a bit disconnected from what they were playing and, in significant contrast to Joshua James, from the crowd. Perhaps, ultimately it was the set list they chose to go with, which appeared a little too safe and was performed like they were just going through the motions. With ‘I’m amazed’, ‘phone went west’ and ‘Mahgeetah’ as a seven minute filler, the set list was clearly a low key selection, perhpas giving some truth to the rumour that Salt Lake is viewed as a ‘night off’ for any touring band…

In all fairness though, the band was getting a nonchalant vibe from the crowd and I guess, responded accordingly. Unfortunately, Twilight Concert Series doesn’t typically attract crowds of true fans to see the headline act so the lackluster engagement was probably more owing to the fact the majority of the audience were only there for some freedom from their olds, not necessarily to see the band. Either way, MMJ lacked the energy and subsequent engagement I was expecting which left me a little disappointed. Despite the great sound, a little more enthusiasm on both sides would’ve lifted the performance a couple of notches. Not totally lost, I would see them play again, although at a gig of their own where the crowd interaction and connection would be likely be significantly improved. Rating? Unfortunately, MMJ didn’t do it for me this time round so I can only give them 7 dope smoking teenagers out of 10.

http://www.mymorningjacket.com/

MMJ set list:

EVIL URGES
OFF THE RECORD
CIRCUITAL
WAY HE SINGS
OUTTA MY SYSTEM
FIRST LIGHT
LAYLOW
BLACK METAL
PHONE WENT WEST
GOLDEN
EVELYN
IM AMAZED
WAR BEGUN
TOUCH ME PT.2
MAHGEETAH
RUN THRU
GIDEON
——–
VICTORY DANCE
WORDLESS
ONE BIG HOLIDAY

The Avett Brothers, Gallivan Centre, Salt Lake City, 28th June 2012

A warmer than warm evening greeted The Avett Brothers for their gig at the Gallivan Centre, SLC. A first time visit to this venue for me and Mr. T., the laid back atmosphere was a welcome relief from the frenetic pace offered of many Melbourne venues. Maybe it was just the 35 degree heat that gave the crowd a relaxed feel, regardless, the vibe was pleasant with a mixture of the old and the new coming along to enjoy the evening.

While you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get with a support band, I must say ‘City and Colour’ didn’t disappoint. A blend of southern country rock, pedal steel and soft strokes of the snare, the alias ‘City and Colour’ provides Dallas Green with a vehicle for delivering some of his exceptional solo work. With elegant keys throughout and good crowd interaction with loads of singing, Green paints a diverse and pleasing scape through song drifting seamlessly from soft ballads to upbeat motions complete with ‘train rollin’ down the tracks’ drums and elemental harmonies. Delivering a swift forty minute set, ‘City and Colour’ were a pleasure that was sadly over too soon. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for them again should they once again stray into town.

Much anticipated, The Avett Brothers opened with ‘Die Die Die’, which was welcomed by an appreciative crowd that swelled forward to greet them. Given the temperature, we opted to keep our park bench position above the grassed area, which afforded us a slightly raised view of the stage. For an open air venue the sound and acoustics were surprisingly clear from our spot which was pleasing and ensured we didn’t have to become part of the throng to enjoy the set.

As someone a bit partial to any band that includes a banjo, cello and stand up bass, this gig was highly anticipated and did not disappoint with song after song delivered beautifully. From ‘I would be sad’, to ‘Go to sleep’ (clearly a crowd favourite) through to ‘January Wedding’, which evoked a welcoming cheer from the crowd as the first few strokes rang out, each song was as distinct as it was worthy of inclusion in the set.

‘Head full of Doubt’ was as much awaited as it was perfectly played out. Another favourite, it clearly resonated with the crowd, especially the with the line ‘ and your life doesn’t change with the man who’s elected” – which ensured a massive eruption of cheering. A perfect interlude, the mid-song transition into ‘Road full of promise’ bought the cool breeze, just as if on cue.

A highlight for the evening was just how beautiful ‘I and Love and You’ sounded live. With keys and harmonies full of emotion, it bought a tear to the eye, none more so than with the final few bars which the brothers allowed the crowd to sing – and which was harmonised to perfection. A powerful and simply amazing moment I’ll remember for years to come.

Not to dwell, the Brothers then moved into ‘Kick Drum Heart’, evidence further of a well thought out set list. The change in pace lifted the crowd’s spirit yet again which enabled the move into the final song for the night in ‘Laundry Room’.

A true Avett Brothers fan, for me, this gig was a definite treat. Lasting over two hours, the boys were animated and interactive throughout, providing a musical experienced which was wonderful to be a part of. As far as gigs go, this will go down in my memory as simply ‘lovely’ – something which may sound strange to most, however to fans, I’m sure it will sound just ‘perfect’.

If you ever get the chance to see them live, I can thoroughly recommend The Avett Brothers. For fans or new comers alike, you will not be disappointed. Delivering a combination of country and alternate folk mixed up with pop melodies, The Avett Brothers sound is as unique and compellingly heart wrenching as it is refreshingly energetic. In short, these guys are simply wonderful. 8 perfected sibling harmonies out of 10.

http://www.theavettbrothers.com/us/splash