Live Review: Vance Joy, Ali Barter

Okay, so Sunday night isn't a traditional night to be heading out to the pub to catch a live gig. It's been a big weekend, filled with late nights, footy matches and back-breaking gardening, but with the prospect of some great local music on the cards, it's time to get out of the tracksuit pants and put a clean shirt on one last time before the working week takes over. At 8.30pm meandering through the door of the Northcote Social Club, it's clear that more than a few other people have had similar ideas.

She's 15 minutes late onto the stage, but Ali Barter commands the audience's attention from the moment she steps into the spotlight. Without getting too worked up about her appearance (catcalls of “you're gorgeous” do that enough), one thing is certain: she has very clean hair. Which is apt, as her 40-minute set, accompanied by Oscar Dawson of the now-defunct Dukes Of Windsor on guitar, is also very clean and clear.

Barter's voice is beautiful; on songs like Marigold it is nigh unstoppable, but unfortunately, and admittedly, she is exhausted on stage, which does little to lift the mood in the room. That's not to say that the audience aren't encapsulated – they totally are – with nary a whisper able to be heard during her impressive set.

At 9.40pm Vance Joy and his band take to the stage. Opening up with the beautiful track Emmylou, once more the crowd seems in awe of the music, listening with such intent you could hear a pin drop. The Melbourne-based lad cuts a striking figure on stage, standing a solid 6'2” with a mop of brown curls atop his head, yet despite his farm/surfer boy-next-door appearance, his voice belies a definitive tenderness.

Given this is his third sold-out show in the past 24 hours (with a fourth scheduled for two days' time), it's unsurprising how crystal clear the sound is, but still, many congratulations must go to “Clint” behind the mixing desk. Joy's band, too, is right on song, working in the background like a well-oiled machine. He's at his best when the band are firing too; a three-song acoustic bit mid-set isn't as strong as the rest, especially a somewhat unconvincing rendition of Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark.

Recalling David Gray in his vocal delivery (too much tremolo, but totally makes up for it with quality falsetto), Joy burns through songs from his debut EP God Loves You When You're Dancing, finishing with lead single Riptide to a very happy audience. It's 10.30pm when he's done; perfect for a school night.