It’s the spookiest time of year, and the streets of Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley brimmed with Halloween costumes.
However, inside The Zoo (31 October) Ali Barter announced to the crowd: “I’m not good at Halloween.” After regaling fans with her past half-hearted/ stoned attempt at a seaweed costume, she pointed to the glitter on her face and laughed: “We put in some effort. See?”
The Melbourne singer-songwriter may not be an expert cosplayer, but she has a gift for crafting perfect pop hooks. With the release of her second album, ‘Hello, I’m Doing My Best’, Ali returned to Brisbane and showed where her efforts truly shine.
“Come closer! I want to see all of your costumes,” called Deena Lynch, aka Jaguar Jonze.
The crowd shuffled closer, and the local dream-pop artist treated them with the live debut of a recently written song: an appropriately haunting waltz full of shivering guitars. The crowd swayed to Jaguar’s sighs, but tension thickened with upcoming single ‘Kill Me With Your Love’.
Drumsticks clicked on the snare’s rim, ticking away to an explosive chorus and Jaguar thrashing in the middle of the stage and fans hopping closer.
Flanked by her guitarists dressed in black wigs and black overalls, Gold Coast artist San Mei whipped her long, jet-black hair and strutted as she played a mean guitar groove. The trio’s riffs blasted from the speakers, including some Van Halen finger-tapping from guitarist Lewis Hamilton.
A familiar chugging riff drew gasps of recognition when San Mei began singing Deadstar’s ‘Deeper Water’, and fans kept pace with Sarah Mills’ drumsticks sprinting on her hi-hat.
Ali Barter and her band burned through their set like the cigarettes that feature heavily in her lyrics. As Ali plucked her bass, her guitarists pushed their overdrive pedals to their limits; shrieks of feedback pierced through songs such as the slacker grunge ‘Cigarette’ and the sugar rush of ‘History Of Boys’.
Contrasting with the noise was Ali’s voice – a high, sweet and gentle sound. It’s a perfect carrier for her pop melodies, with fans shouting along with older tracks and new songs being picked up with ease.
But the mixing of sweetness and noise are the perfect medium for her lyrics, relating chaotic episodes from her life. Chaos was central to ‘Ur A Piece Of Sh.t’, her ode to best friends. “Your life is a mess and so is mine,” she squealed as fans cheerfully moshed, later raising their hands for neglect, eating disorders, and self-harm.
Pop hooks may have drawn fans in, but Ali Barter is adored for her relatable charm. Those moments shined brightest when she was alone on stage with her guitar, telling tales and delightfully waving at fans in the crowd she recognised from Instagram.
The strongest connection came as she introduced ‘January’. “Every January I was trying to be a new person,” she explained. Fans applauded in recognition of Ali Barter’s sentiment; of putting their best effort into accepting themselves.
