Running a little late on this rainy night, I tried not get the water on my jacket rubbing up amongst other punters who were for whatever reason all close talkers tonight. Stunning voices on stage within a pub/bar setting has been slightly unusual lately. It’s either gravely voices or a dude behind a computer/decks bobbing their head up and down.
In saying that however it was really refreshing to see Lisa Salvo serenade (and it really was a serenade) us an opening set that was floating with a dream-like wonderland.The subject of the songs may have seemed teenager-like, (she did mention during her set that Lisa was in her mid-twenties) but her delicate voice dispersed through the room. She is singing way beyond her young years, thriving on raw emotion of the songs that did not feel awkward at all. One of the most unforgettable sets from an opening act I have ever seen.
Adelaide’s Gold Bloom did an equivalent of a musical strut in their set. They felt in their element and gave a nice little set full of tunes with big guitars and big tunes. Lovely musical rounds and vocal techniques allowed many of the songs shine through their voice, which juxtaposed well with the brutal sound of their guitars. Straddling a nice line between blues, post-rock and even pop, the band crafted some strangely unique ideas musically.
Ainslie Wills then charmed the pants off us all. Hers is a voice which was so boomingly present, and very sweetly striking. Her stage demureness was just lovely – joking with the crowd like it was just a bunch of friends who she knew her whole life. I found when tracks like ‘Hold On’ flowed through the PA, that it wanted to stuff my ears within the speakers and hook me onto every word she was singing. Much like Gold Bloom before her, she and her band hooked with her words and vocals. It clung in a vice grip in such a subtle way that wasn’t awkward or messy. It was more a caressed type of sound that stroked your hair, and then sat across from you on a table while you sipped some espresso martinis. When we got to the single at the end of her set (‘Fighting Kind’) she was in an element of her own. Bouncing around like no one’s business and hooking herself on a rack of sound coming from guitars, drums and keyboards.
———-
