Live Review: Mark Wilkinson, Little Bighorn

Opening for a relatively unknown artist in amongst a rowdy and gradually squashed crowd is no mean feat. Kudos then goes to Little Bighorn, who managed to hold their own on The Basement stage as the rather antsy crowd pushed and shoved one another in a vain attempt to get prime standing positions. Nerves may have prevented the duo from exhibiting a little more personality, and while their songs were harmonious and gentle, they seemed a little misplaced for the venue.

Then it was time for Mark Wilkinson – best known now as the dude behind that song on the Nescafe ad (well, at least that's how this reviewer stumbled upon him), to take to the stage. Compact and delicate, even Wilkinson could not believe the now unmoveable capacity with which the venue had filled out to. Patrons had now begun taking cigarette breaks just to get some 'fresh air'.

Kind and seemingly a little embarrassed with all the attention, Wilkinson launched into a string of tracks from his latest album, Let The River Run. Wilkinson, alone on stage with only an acoustic guitar, somehow managed to silence the noisy room (save for a few small pockets). His voice was supreme and crisp, sending shivers down hundreds of spines as he cooed the title track from his second release.

With bursts of chatter with the audience throughout the set, Wilkinson remained focused and centred, his (now infamous) tune Middle Ground washing over the crowd like some kind of enchantment, before copping a raucous and well deserved applause. Wilkinson is one of the rare artists whose vocals embody a kind of charisma that pulls you in and forces you to do the rarest thing in the world… feel.

Perfect. Beautiful. Gentle.