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’

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

Steel Panther, House of Blues, Mandalay Bay, LV. 12th May 2012

Ok, I know what you’re thinking. Steel Panther, really? Having trekked to Sin City for a girls weekend away, let me explain by saying this gig wasn’t first choice for the evening.  However, when Derek at the ticket office said Santana would set us each back a crisp one hundred dollar bill, at that point, the Panther looked ever more the fiscally attractive option at $20.

Thoroughly uninitiated, I had no idea what I was about to experience. Two of my girls had previously experienced the Panther pleasure (as it were) and reassured me ‘everything’s going to be fine’. I cautiously accepted their judgment.

Confronted with a mass of hair, leopard print spandex and ripped mesh tops, Steel Panther were a sight to behold. Two songs in, I was seriously thinking of doing a discrete runner when the band started up with ‘Asian hooker’. As Michael Starr (lead vox) dragged three poor girls of Asian descent out of the crowd to dance on stage, I remember thinking ‘ugggh… this could end really badly’. To my surprise, the girls were clearly fans and reveled in the attention singing all the words in time. I couldn’t believe it! I decided right then and there to toss sensibility aside and go with the hilarity of the moment.

It’s clear that Steel Panther have a solid and loyal following. Starr (a self confessed ‘chubbier version of Brett Michaels’) doesn’t disappoint treating the crowd of mostly fans to an interactive experience. With loads of banter back and forth between the band and audience, Starr knows how to hold the energy. It would however, be remiss of me at this point not to provide a warning – make sure you’re paying attention, lest you’re likely to become the centre of it!

Piling through ‘Girl from Oaklahoma’ and ‘If you really, really love me’, Starr took every opportunity to invite the audience in. There was even a surprisingly enjoyable moment as the crowd of roughly 500 drunk blokes sang along to ‘Community Property’ (my heart belongs to you, but my dong is community property…). Classy, yes I know.

Part way through the night, the band were joined onstage by ‘the ugly one from N-SYNC’ which, as it turns out, is actually Joey Patone. While Patone’s contribution was lackluster, not even a bad rendition of Bon Jovi’s ‘living on a prayer’ could dampen the crowd’s spirits.

A memorable performance was delivered by Lexxi Fox on bass who consistently stole the limelight with his OTT preening – all in front of a glittered mirror. And when he and Satchel (lead guitar) came together on stage for moments of guitar fueled, choreographed grinding, the visual was as much hilarious as it was disturbing. An equally important contributor, Stix (drums) appeared a slightly forgotten member on stage which was a little disappointing, yet understandable as he struggled with a ‘drum-kit malfunction’ for a large part of the set. The only real let down for the evening was the girl who got her bazooka’s out on stage – numerous times – to which no-one was really interested. God bless her skanky little heart, if only she’d come all the way from Mackay and not Melbourne…

Ahhhh Steel Panther. What can I say, if you’re easily offended, then this ain’t the band for you (trust me, you’ll have ‘thar she blows’ in your head for days…). Despite the completely offensive nature of the lyrics and crude banter, Steel Panther were actually a thoroughly entertaining piss-take and worth the live experience. 6 star spangled bandanas out of 10.

http://www.steelpantherrocks.com