Live Review: Sally Seltmann, Wintercoats

The intimate space of the Vanguard was the ideal venue for Sally Seltmann and her support Wintercoats to dazzle Sydney fans with a charming display of musical smarts. First it was Wintercoats looping and layering his violin, proving that those classical music classes he was probably forced to take from the age of five have been no hindrance to an indie-folk career. Sounding at times like a one-man Dirty Three, Wintercoats built up an intensity with his playing that only seemed to grow when he would lower the violin and add haunting vocals.

Sally Seltmann can also do haunting quite well, but this set was a mix of those more tender Seltmann and New Buffalo tunes and songs packed with luscious pop hooks, even while they were presenting a melancholic alternative-pop mood.

Backed by Bree Van Reyk on drums and vocals and Richard Maegraith on saxophone and, right at the end, flute, the focus was on Seltmann's light and delicate voice, skipping over melodies and drawing the packed crowd into her offbeat world. Van Reyk's drums gave the songs a strong grounding, stopping them from coming across as too sweet or twee, while the saxophone embellishments added that extra punch of soul.

With the natural ease of a long-term performer, Seltmann joked with the crowd, even interrupting her song Harmony To My Heartbeat to express disbelief that no one had owned up to knowing anyone who had gotten married and used the song in their ceremony.

Though Seltmann exists on the fringes, her brand of pop isn't too far removed from fellow Aussie Sia, and her show had a magical homespun quality to it.