Live Review: Ms Lauryn Hill

23 May 2014 | 3:53 pm | Bryget Chrisfield

"As Hill and co disappear from view, any tense atmosphere from keeping us waiting for an hour has dispersed and it’s 100% feel-good vibes."

More Ms Lauryn Hill More Ms Lauryn Hill

Milling around in the upstairs foyer bar, tonight's audience members resemble The Secret Life Of Us viewers (when it originally screened). As soon as we learn there will be no intermission between Lauryn Hill's DJ warming up the decks and her main set, we scurry inside while he's spinning Sade. The crowd is restless and there are many glued to their smartphones, scrolling through Facebook posts. At 9.43pm (advertised starting time: 9pm), Hill's band take to the stage and at least now we have live drumming accompaniment for the DJ. Other band members look bored up there, with arms crossed. Closer to 10pm, the musicians join in on the action, one by one – percussionist, bassist et cetera – until finally three backing vixens saunter on from offstage and up to their mics. And then Hill's voice can be heard. But where is she? Will she sing from offstage all night?   

Ms Lauryn Hill eventually saunters on and we all leap up from our seats, applauding vigorously. And what an outfit! It's all about appliqué lipsticks on her jumper with heavy gold-chain necklace bling (worn on the outside, of course). Fugees' Killing Me Softly makes us close our eyes and sway along in appreciation and there's a sense of relief upon hearing that Hill is in ultra-fine voice. Bums stay off seats for the show's entirety. Hill's rap segment that flows straight back into Everything Is Everything's chorus brings the whoops. After successfully singing “Melbourne” within the lyrics during a couple of songs, Hill then refers to us as Sydney during To Zion – she's jetlagged, alright. Her rapid-fire flow throughout Lost Ones (“You might win some but you just lost one”) impresses and there's a real defiance about Hill's stance that's at odds with her perfect posture and small stature. The guitarist's solo is so brutal during Look What You've Done that he swaps instruments straight away, mid-song. The trickiness of this song's outro becomes wearying and punters get a bit fidgety. And then the band abruptly leaves the stage, leaving only the DJ, while a chair is placed downstage centre.

People leave in droves, although some return with bottles of water. It really is unnecessarily Hot In Herre. Hill returns to the stage with her acoustic guitar. Her voice is husky perfection during a solo rendition (with occasional BVs) of Oh Jerusalem. “How many Fugees fans?” Hill hollers then it's straight into Zealots. She introduces Fu-Gee-La as “feel-good music” and the way we all “Oooh-la-la-la” along serves as immediate evidence. You don't really wanna compare how you sound with Ms Hill, however. Then, “Ready or not/Here I come/You can't hide,” with its haunting backing comes at us. Killing Me Softly, albeit a more vocally showcasing version, enjoys a reprise in tonight's set before a Marley cover: Could You Be Loved. Hill finishes up with Doo Wop (That Thing) – “Guys, you know you'd better/Watch out!” As Hill and co disappear from view, any tense atmosphere from keeping us waiting for an hour has dispersed and it's 100% feel-good vibes.