Live Review: Husky, Elana Stone, Amaya Laucirica

The beautifully simple and laidback sounds of Amaya Laucirica get things started tonight and set the mood perfectly. Laucirica is a simple and, as a result, effective performer with some wonderful songs.

Elana Stone's set, however, is a far more theatrical event. The problem is that while she is obviously very talented musically, the theatricality of the whole thing starts to take its toll. At first it's endearing but, after a while, her rambling stories break any mood her songs set up. If she was tonight's headline act, it would be far more tolerable but this reviewer is not interested in hearing stories, from a support act, about how Stone's actor sister has a questionable scene in her latest show.

After a year of constant touring in Europe and the USA, with one or two extremely brief returns to Australia therein, Melbourne quartet Husky make a rare appearance in their hometown and the Corner is packed. It's wonderful to have them back home again, this time for their Tidal Wave tour, and it is with a slightly lengthened version of this song that they start their set. Dark Sea is rolled out next with no introduction or fuss. It may be a while since we last saw them, but they still sound as magical as ever. Hundred Dollar Suit sounds wonderful and full. This band really seems able to do little wrong. It's at this point that frontman Husky Gawenda acknowledges the band's continuous overseas touring, before stating that he and his bandmates, “Dream of coming home and playing these shows,” before adding: “It's nice to know you haven't forgotten about us.” It's nice to know they haven't forgotten about us, either.

Mutual mushiness aside, the remainder of the night's set is predominantly made up of tracks from their debut album, Forever So, including the title track, Fake Moustache, Hunter, Animals & Freaks, Don't Tell Your Mother, History's Door and The Woods, and a new song, “called 'Wolfman', for tonight anyway.” Husky are known for throwing in some fine covers and tonight is no exception, with a wonderfully reworked version of the INXS classic Need You Tonight.

The fact that they've just arrived back in the country does not seem to hinder their performance at all despite Gawenda's claim that it feels “surreal”.  Here's hoping it's not so long between shows next time.