Brisbane’s The Tivoli was witness to something magical last Sunday when it hosted Grammy Award winners Joss Stone and India.Arie as part of their sideshow for this year’s Bluesfest.
The soul singers had serious pull, packing out the iconic Brisbane venue, with fans lining the street up to an hour prior to doors opening. The show was definitely worth the wait, however, as the enigmatic singers took the audience on their individual journeys of soul and funk, telling stories of love, loss and hope.
Joss Stone
Brit Joss Stone was first on stage, opening with a bang as she proved her raw talent and huge vocal range through songs like ‘You Had Me’, ‘Right To Be Wrong’ and ‘Fell In Love With A Boy’.
Joss Stone
Stone worked the crowd with her playful, infectious humour and was called back on stage for an encore.
If Miss Stone was the match to ignite the fire, then Denver-born India.Arie was the gentle embers that kept the fire burning, enveloping the crowd with her message of self-acceptance and healing through music.
An incredibly intimate and honest performance, India.Arie sang a bevvy of her popular hits including ‘Video’ and ‘Ready For Love’, as well as her lesser known but equally powerful songs, ‘One’ and ‘Break The Shell’.
Joss also joined India for a brief sing-song, before India’s musical director and keyboardist brought the house down with a rendition of ‘Brown Skin’ to end the night.
A genuinely spiritual experience, the Stone-Arie combination will no doubt go down as one of the best performances in Australia for 2014.
