Live Review: Archie Roach, Emma Donovan, Van Walker

Van Walker is first up with his rootsy-folk sound. He tells stories about his family and fingerpicks the acoustic guitar; a Dylan-esque performance with deep, rich vocals. Shane Reilly plays along on the pedal steel, creating beautiful melodies that evoke Hawaii. The room is packed with rows of friendly faces and small children, gathered to raise money for Dave Foley and his family. This is one of five fundraiser gigs happening every Sunday in May.

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks take the stage and Donovan's strong, soulful vocals captivate the audience at once. Seated around her are bluesy soul instrumentalists - usually a quintet but without their organist tonight - and the band sounds tight. They play Mother, a jazzy slow-tempo song, and Tom Martin's guitar solo receives the delighted audience's applause. Black Woman is a powerful song that brings the funk. The audience is mainly seated and punters standing at the back sway to the grooves - if only there was a dancefloor!

Archie Roach takes a seat centre stage and straps on his acoustic guitar. He is surrounded by a five-piece band and begins softly strumming, giving thanks to those supporting the cause and emphasising how important communities are, particularly during difficult times. The way Roach speaks is lyrical and intimate - a true storyteller - and it's an honour to hear his stories. He shares his memories of being a survivor on the streets of Collingwood and gives us one of his classics, Charcoal Lane, as the audience cheers.

Roach reminisces about the time he met the late Ruby Hunter and the song she wrote about life as a street kid, Down City Streets. Roach asks Donovan to join him on stage and she sings along to the country-folk chorus. Donovan also helps out on vocals for Took The Children Away, a powerful and emotional journey about healing, loss and dispossession. Munjana, a beautiful song about Aboriginal mothers, is beautifully related by Roach to the struggles of all single and unmarried mothers today. Reilly joins Roach and his band onstage with his pedal steel. They play a soulful, jazzy song about Roach's great grandmother and her sisters escaping the taunting racism of men by jumping into a river. Roach finishes his set with Little By Little, an up-tempo country song about the human spirit. He explains, "It's not about how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up." The audience gives him a standing ovation.