Valentine’s Day might have been a tough night to sell a gig, but the dimly-lit, velvety embrace of The Tivoli made a kismet setting for a small audience to cosy up and indulge in an intimate night of music.
Multi-instrumentalist Harry Hookey opened the show with a decent enough crowd to appreciate his skills, particularly on the harmonica.
The visibly fervent crowd was clearly a coalescence of genuine Kasey Chambers fans. The venue, approximately two-thirds sold, allowed for space on the dancefloor, room around the sound desk, and ample opportunity for the loved-up crowd, consisting mainly of couples, to rest on a faux-suede couch or two as they took in their favourite Kasey Chambers track.
The band opened with the deep, bass-driven growl of ‘Wheelbarrow’, which engaged the crowd instantly. Kasey took command of the room with the first note sung, holding a rock & roll frontman's stance with her guitar and delivering every lyric with intention. The warm-up continued with ‘Still Feeling Blue’ and the commercial hit ‘Not Pretty Enough’, which Kasey observed the hilarity of burly men in cowboy hats singing along to.
Country music is often accused of sounding the same, but the set was carefully selected to showcase the diversity of Kasey’s nine-album back catalogue; sweeping through southern blues to rockabilly to straight-up unapologetic country, including favourites ‘Pony’, ‘The Captain’, and ‘Rattlin’ Bones’.
In ‘Your Time Will Come’, the band found its place, digging deep into a thumping brontide of dramatic country blues. The soundscape here allows a window into why country Queenslanders resonate with Kasey’s music.
Kasey made a rare offer as a headliner to two band members - Brandan Dodd on guitar, and Josh Duffusy on drums aka Grizzlee Train - to take the stage for two songs, as Kasey danced and cheered them on from the wings; one of many examples displayed in the evening of her humility and generosity as a performer. Grizzlee Train warmed into one of their own songs, revealing impressive guitar and harmonica chops with a full, warm sound for just two people.
Kasey’s return to the stage felt as though it should pump straight back into the full band but they hovered around the acoustic ballad for one song too many, in my opinion, before rocking a country version of The White Stripes’ 'Seven Nation Army', featuring Kasey on banjo. It was so much better than it sounds on paper.
Image - FacebookHer patter was personal, generous, and funny. Her engagement with the audience was sweet and strong – she responded to the occasional drunk heckle with grace and humour, and shared personal stories about her children, marriages, religion, and even a crush on a fictional character from 'Criminal Minds'.
If you’ve only listened to Kasey’s musical peripherally, you can miss the beautiful imagination she has that when applied to songwriting, has a rich, poetic result. Her empathy is worn on her sleeve in the heart-felt ballad ‘Behind The Eyes Of Henry Young’ – a new song about a prisoner of Alcatraz, performed acoustically solo, suspending the audience in pensive wonder until the last note was played – an impressive feat considering it was played toward the end of the set to a boozed-up crowd. Further indication of the respect Kasey’s fans have for her.
Harry Hookey returned to fill Bernard Fanning’s intimidating shoes on the title track from Kasey’s new album ‘Bittersweet’, doing a fine job. Then crowd favourite and Kasey’s father, Bill Chambers displayed his lap-steel handiness and featured vocals on ‘Driftin’ South’.
The whole band then had a chance to rock out, where we nod to (in Kasey’s words) “the quiet achiever of the band”, James Hazlewood on bass, who metered and textured the entire set impeccably.
The encore, selected by an audience member – or made to look as though it was – was ‘Little Bit Lonesome’, dripping with real, country vibes, making the appreciative crowd sway as though their favourite Patsy Cline tune was on the jukebox, backed-up by the rollicking ‘We’re All Gonna Die Someday’, that packed the final, barnyard punch to leave the crowd contented.
A big sound for a five-piece, this was a no-frills rock gig that showcased some fine Australian talent, and allowed everyone to feel connected and entertained, as though we were at a backyard party with our best mate playing some really rocking tunes for us. It would be hard to leave a Kasey Chambers' gig if not a fan of her music, of Kasey herself.
Written by Monique Hartman
Kasey Chambers Setlist
WheelbarrowStill Feeling Blue
Not Pretty Enough
This Flower
Your Day Will Come (Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson cover)
Is God Real?
Pony Stalker
KC (new song, acoustic)
Rattlin' Bones
Interlude (Grizzlee Train)
I Still Pray
Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes cover)
The Captain
Bittersweet
I'm Alive
Driftin South (Bill Chambers cover)
Encore
A Little Bit LonesomeWe're All Gonna Die Someday
