The bandroom at the Northcote had been transformed into a hippie paradise, complete with cardboard trees and sustainable screen printed tee-shirts to celebrate the launch of Tash Parker‘s debut record Waking Up. Supporting Tash on her night of nights was fellow band member Ben Abraham and his friends.
Ben delivered a gorgeous set of laid back acoustic pop tunes with a folk twist that involved a lot of soulful harmonies and heart warming melodies. He’s a confident performer who actively engaged with the crowd, telling stories and jokes between songs. His uplifting tunes sound like a mix of Lior, Jack Johnson and Guy Sebastian and were very enjoyable live. Ben ended his set with a ukulele sing along, with the many musos in the crowd providing lovely harmonies to round out a very entertaining hour of laughs and sweet pop songs.
The excited chatter from the large crowd immediately silenced as Tash Parker walked onstage and began her set with a big thank you to the many family and friends who had travelled from far and wide to support her, before launching into a solo acoustic tune. Tash is a beguiling performer, whose humility and grace is as charming as her music. The crowd simply stood in enraptured silence as Tash and her six-piece backing band went to work, showcasing the songs from Waking Up, which included breathtaking renditions of “Not Unprepared”, “I Take The Blame”, “Beautiful Town” and “Baby All The Time”. Highlight of the night was a spine tingling version of the track “Somers”, a song about the town Parker lives in with her partner and musical cohort Wally De Backer, that was enhanced by an AV image display of pictures of the small town on the back of the stage.
Tash Parker is a rare talent whose quiet demeanour makes for a moving and intense live experience. Her jazz infused folk music is inherently beautiful with the intricate melodies and delightful harmonies that put her a cut above her contemporaries. Fingers crossed she plays a few more headlining shows in Melbourne in the near future.
