Blog

Fri 9 Oct – Sarah Blasko, El Perro del Mar

Sarah Blasko at the Enmore Theatre, 9th Oct 2009
As Day Follows Night tour
The backdrop image unfurled to an alpine landscape, in reference to the production of the album being made in Sweden. Sarah Blasko emerged in a bizarre white costume with enormously puffy sleeves, high enough to reach the level of her ears, and the audience couldn't repress a giggle at the amusing sight, as she proceeded to sing the forlorn Down On Love. Excellent photo from Niki. Sarah and her band (violin, viola, double bass, piano, guitars plus bits and pieces) performed every song on her new album As Day Follows Night which I was thrilled about. The strings were a highlight for me, and the double bass sound was sexy. She also sang 2 of her Cinema Blasko covers Seems Like Old Timesfrom the film Annie Hall, and introduced the second as a great song from a film she didn't particularly like. Fans with limited edition copies already knew she was referring to Xanadu but it took a few moments for the majority of the audience to catch on, and there was a rippled response of cheers and chortles.

Her outfit had a few surprises in store. Around the fourth song Hold On My Heart, Sarah unveiled a flap on a her dress to expose a rainbow heart. Later on, someone yelled "I like your sleeves!" to which she replied "Thank you. I wanted to make sure that everyone in the back row could see them. This dress is for the back row." Before she sang No Turning Back she was gently tickling her puffy shoulders and another person shouted "Do they come off?" A hint of a smile from Sarah, and voila! Her sleeves magically became rainbow fans! The Enmore Theatre erupted into laughter. Here's a video that someone took from the Melbourne show.

Her encore was more like a Set B, with songs from her previous 2 albums. She disappeared offstage but the drums continued to play, solo style. One by one the band picked up their instruments again and Sarah returned, wearing a more conservative dress in the same shade of blue as her album art for What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have. Come to think of it, her crazy first dress was probably referencing her album art too. ARGH. This lady is a genius!! I love her even more for her shy self-depracating comment "I've always wanted to have a costume change. Sorry." She seems to have collected more moves for her dance repertoire... more theatrical and less awkward robot. I couldn't help but see her as a sad little marionette. I love the way she uses her hands to tell a story.

Fri 25 Sep – Lisa Mitchell Wonder Tour
Lisa Mitchell at The Metro, 26th Sept 2009
The Wonder tour
Lisa Mitchell has been making quite a name for herself this year... playing at Glastonbury, picking up some ARIA nominations and selling out two shows at the Metro. I was at the first one and while I'm thrilled for her success, my selfish side wished that it hadn't been an all ages gig. Although I'm only young myself, I abhor the kind of crowds that all ages gigs bring (think Angus & Julia Stone at the Enmore last year ). Sure, you get the sweet faced little lambs that have never been to a concert before and it's so cute to see the excitement shining their eyes, but then you also get the screechy vulture girls who sweep in and push in obnoxiously in front with absolutely no 'gig etiquette'. And throughout the entire time, the crowd in the Metro were talking, even for the slower songs. It's a huge contrast to Sarah Blasko's audience who watched with silent adulation.

That's not to say that Lisa is lacking in stage presence. I was worried that she wouldn't be able to pull it off... I've seen her solo a few times and even I can admit when she is dull dull dull. But this time she had a full band, and she bounced her energy off them and she shimmied her way into the kooky Heroine as her opener. Not playing a guitar for a significant amount of the set freed her up to loosen up and move around a bit. Her performance felt less like awkward teen and more of old soul in the world of twee folk pop. She played her cover of Dire Straits' Romeo and Juliet and a couple of 'bonus track' songs like Oh Nostalgia and Holiday. As an introduction to her massively successful Coin Laundry she told us that in her earlier shows, she had been hit in the eye by people throwing her dollar coins. If we felt compelled to throw money at her, notes would be fine.

Setlists

Lisa's setlist
Heroine
So Jealous
Stevie
Valium
Romeo & Juliet (Dire Straits)
Oh Nostalgia
Red Wine Lips
Oh! Hark
See You When You Get Here
Pirouette
Holiday
Coin Laundry

Love Letter
Neopolitan Dreams


Sarah's setlist
Down On Love
Bird On A Wire
Lost and Defeated
Hold On My Heart
Over and Over
Sleeper Awake
We Won't Run
Is My Baby Yours
I Never Knew
All I Want
No Turning Back
Night and Day
Seems Like Old Times
Xanadu

Amazing Things
The Garden's End
Hammer
Always Worth It
Always On This Line
Planet New Year
Explain