Live Review: Clairy Browne And The Bangin Rackets - Fly By Night

Beehives, swing skirts and rockabilly style were the order of the evening in Fremantle on Friday as the soul train arrived in Fly By Night in the form of two captivating leading ladies, Clairy Browne and Novac Bull. Bull and her band Boom Bap Pow! commanded complete control of the room as they came on stage and began their highly energetic set, entertaining Fremantle's soul aficionados with their barbershop harmonies and addictive rhythms. Bull has an astounding voice that can stop you dead in your tracks, backed up by her incredible stage presence and a circulation of happy vibes.

The stage was set perfectly by 'Pow and as they made way for Clairy Browne and her harmonising The Bangin' Rackettes the room was positively buzzing. Melbourne's newest rhythm and blues big band came on stage and habitually filled the space with energy and confidence. Browne's showmanship was spectacular and her audience was reminded of an era when a musical performance is complimented by a full stage act. The personification of sex kitten, she put a lot of character into her performance, demanding participation from an occasionally distracted audience. Amongst the impressive elements of the night were the undeniable skills by saxophonist Darcy McNulty and the sick talents of drummer Nick Martyn. The audience gladly consumed tracks from new album Baby Caught The Bus such as the diva-esque reference to man-eaters She Plays Up To You, and the flourishing tribute to Cher and Nancy Sinatra, Bang Bang.

The crowd vociferously demanded an encore and they were gifted a final energetic performance of I Idolize You. There is a lot of buzz surrounding Clairy Browne at the moment and rightly so, her act is one of the strongest I have seen and as they spearhead the return of '50s and '60s soul, there is only the assumption that these guys are going to be huge.