Live Review: Emma Louise, Thelma Plum, Patrick James

If there's one aspect of Australian music that seems to be growing stronger and stronger, it's the cutesy indie folk singers that are popping up all around the place. Tonight was no exception, with a musical line-up equivalent to a YouTube video of little puppies doing all the cute things.

Opener Patrick James provided a strong set that clearly demonstrated the young singer/songwriter's natural talent onstage. His recorded material just doesn't do justice to his gift as a live performer, with songs like Stay and All About To Change really rising to the next level on the night. The beautifully harmonised Something In The Way We Are, a throwback to the likes of Crosby, Stills and Nash and James Taylor, was another highlight, proving that James is definitely one to watch.

Thelma Plum successfully continued the stretch of adorableness, with innocent spurts of banter dropped in between crowd favourites like Father Said and Around Here. Her cover of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game was a pleasant addition to a charming set, along with her new single, Dollar. Plum's charming naivety on stage works well in developing a relationship between herself and the crowd, and it wouldn't be surprising if Plum left that night with a number of new fans.

Unfortunately headliner Emma Louise was the weakest link in the night's entertainment, more so due to technical issues with sound than any inability to perform in such a large venue. Louise's appeal as a musician lies in the delicate, often fragile nature of her voice and the addition of a backing band seemed to hinder her performance rather than enhance it. In particular the bass during her set was particularly overwhelming and jarring. It was due to this that tracks like Boy and Atlas Eyes failed to really lift off the ground.