Live Review: Clare Bowditch, Spender

Strikingly tall in a suit with a black electric guitar to match, Melbourne's Spender cuts a fine if lonely figure on The Hi-Fi's stage. The stripped setting works in his favour and the songs speak for themselves, the varied guitar work adding weight and interest to the solo delivery. Tonight performing more narrative-driven works inspired by true events (“My songs are a like a diary. A public diary. That you can dance to.”), he is a consummate writer, and a song about the death of a street kid in Sydney is an early set highlight. The Lake is another folk gem, and on closer We Go Painting Every Night he calls for silence to play the rollicking Prince-like intro. Spender is clearly comfortable onstage, slowly but surely winning the audience over. His banter is witty but feels a little scripted. He is a strong performer, but is lacking a little bit of heart.

Making up for any potential lack of heart, Clare Bowditch waltzes onto the now decorated stage greeted by cheers and hollers. This is not just a show, this is a meeting of friends and Bowditch chats about Channel 10's Offspring (in which she both acts and sings), the death of a beloved character on the show, and 'stalking' Jeff Buckley in her youth. She is charismatic and hilarious, in turn both sassy and wise. She opens with the sisterly-advice of Amazing Life – “you don't have to be just one thing, but you have to start with something” – and with just her acoustic guitar, beguiling voice and arresting stage presence, she is in fine form. The whole set is bursting with energy and there is a palpable sense of community, from the choir created by the crowd singing 'g'day' and 'Powderfinger', to teaching the harmonies of Little Black Cave, and the impromptu invitations for audience members to climb onstage. The collaboration is continued with local artists Andrea Kirwin and Bree Bullock chosen to perform a song each alongside Bowditch as part of the Winter Secrets tour concept, each bringing a renewed sense of connection and fun to proceedings. Spender returns to the stage as guitarist, back-up vocalist and partner in crime, culminating in a fantastic moment where the two are playing teapots. 

After a stunning rendition of You Make Me Happy, the inevitable encore is the final quirky jewel on the Clare Bowditch crown. Evoking karaoke at a boozy girls' night out, the stunning performance ends on a mash-up of Martika's Love, Thy Will be Done, The Proclaimers' I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), Survivor's Eye Of The Tiger and even a terrible attempt at Eminem's Lose Yourself.