Jess Cerro (Montaigne) kicked off her sold-out ‘Life Of Montaigne’ tour at Brisbane’s The Milk Factory last Thursday night (23 April).
Everyone was packed tightly into the small but snug space, and all intently waited for Montaigne to take the stage. And whether or not you had seen her live before, everyone in the room was gobsmacked with what she had to offer.
Montaigne’s entire performance was extremely emotive, with her rock-solid vocals and intimate presence. It was such a pleasure to bop along and listen quietly and take a break from the more intense energy-laden concerts.
Although it was definitely one of the more laidback gigs, Montaigne still gave it her all, moving effortlessly from guitar, to piano, to no instrument at all. She proved to us that although backed by a just-as-talented crew, she could hold her own as a solo artist, singing an extremely emotional song – containing just 17 words about a friend of hers – while playing the piano.
She also gave us a taste of her insane cover of ‘Chandelier’, which rocketed to fame after she sang it on Triple J’s Like A Version’. It was just as magical in real life as it was on the radio, if not more captivating. Her ability to put a completely different spin on an already well-known track was a treat for the ears.
Although the venue's lighting was more on the moody side, if fitted well, lulling us into this half-dream-like state where we focused on what we were hearing more than what we were seeing (or in this case not seeing). Everyone was clearly enjoying their Thursday as well with drinks in hand and it felt like we were all apart of Montaigne’s little club, being wrapped up in a warm but emotional blanket with her charming sounds and even more charming nature
She was no stranger to the crowd either, sharing little anecdotes here and there about what she had been up to, what songs might have meant to her and how she was going. She was very honest with us and it was nice to be in such a calm and intimate environment with not only an artist, but what felt like a friend for life.
It was also great to be able to interact with her after the gig, as she came to the bar to get to know us all and let us tell her how much we absolutely adore her and how we just wish she would play for us forever and ever.
