Live Review: Clare Bowditch, The Royal Jelly Dixieland Band, Packwood

A banjo accompanied by a cello and a violin is hardly commonplace at a modern-day contemporary pop gig, but at a Clare Bowditch show, it's best to expect something a little bit different. Packwood, the band playing the banjo, cello and violin in question, is the brainchild of Sydneysider Bayden Packwood Hine and normally consists of a few more members, but as a trio tonight it worked beautifully. With a unique approach to musical phrasing, Packwood's melodies were fragile and slightly off-kilter, but the crowd slowly warmed to the unexpected performance.

The Royal Jelly Dixieland Band evoked another time with their eight-piece jazz. Though they were playing a very old-time musical form, it was cheeky and modern with lots of humour and a great rendition of Beyonce's Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It). Vocalist Harriet O'Donnell was a real find and provided a beautiful counterpoint later to Clare Bowditch when she guested on several tracks by the headliner.

With her latest album exploring ideas of happiness, Clare Bowditch took the stage alone to sing Amazing Life as a stunning opener, then brought out an almost vintage line-up of guitarist Tim Harvey, drummer Marty Brown and bassist Warren Bloomer. With the experimentation of 2010's Modern Day Addiction behind her, Bowditch really put her voice on show and it has rarely sounded better. Songs such as the moody and dark Prinz Willy and the spot-on harmonies of the Tim Harvey co-write The Big Happy showed off not only Bowditch's voice but her warm and generous onstage personality, while a moving tribute to recent murder victim Jill Meagher on Your Love Walks With Me, which included Bowditch reading some of a poem by Stephanie Dowrick, resulted in quite a few misty eyes in the audience.

Members of the Royal Jelly Dixieland Band appear on Bowditch's new album The Winter I Chose Happiness, so it made sense they would flit on and off the stage during her set, providing horns, keys and O'Donnell's voice. The end of the set's Cocky Lady, Thin Skin and that Offspring song You Make Me Happy were joyous and exuberant, and the perfect way to celebrate Bowditch's remarkable talent.