Live Review: CW Stoneking, Kira Puru

Scaling the St Michael's Church steps while most toast the end of their working week with an adult beverage may feel out of character, but the moment you're seated in a tiered pew, admiring pictorial religious stained glass, a sense of peace settles in. A gentlemen entering the church marvels, “Oh, what a cool thing!” Not long into her set, Kira Puru tells us she's already paying for the durries she smoked out the back with CW Stoneking earlier (although he smoked a pipe). She also overshares when she confesses she's busting for a wee. Puru has a booming kind of voice that probably would've held up mic-less with the help of this church's coved ceiling and outstanding acoustics. Without her band The Bruise, Puru ably demonstrates she's a solo artist to watch who's capable of so much more than featuring on other people's songs.

St Michael's Uniting Church is a bit drafty and, as CW Stoneking sets up, a rowdy member of the congregation yells out, “Have you been to the toilet?” Stoneking kicks off with Jungle Lullaby and we're immediately transported not only into the jungle but also almost a century back in time. He admits he's had to rearrange these songs without trumpet and backing vocalists. During a new song, Mama Got The Blues, Stoneking somehow manages to play both the guitar and bass parts, and the way he admits to stuff-ups mid-song (“I did that on Wednesday, too!”) is charming. Stoneking changes guitars and welcomes “old Roy”, his 1931 Duolian with steel body. Stoneking performs a gospel song for which he recently learned the lyrics on “the internet” and, with his peculiar accent and old-worldly appearance, the visual of him surfing the net is anachronistic. If you squint your eyes a bit, Stoneking resembles Richie Cunningham in his crisp white shirt, bowtie and cardigan ensemble.

The dialogue intro into Dodo Blues is genius and the way Stoneking takes on both sides of the conversation by incorporating different voices is impressive. This song's lilting chorus melody (“Nothing can be wrong when I'm walking with my baby/I wish that I was”) is drenched in pathos with a sprinkling of hope. Stoneking's between-song banter and backstories are as engaging as his songs. He tells us he had to learn a Coldplay song for a friend's wedding, which he then points out is harder to forget than learn. “I really don't like the banjo anymore... It really is a garbage instrument,” he opines. Don't Go Dancin' Down The Darktown Strutter's Ball follows its epic backstory. Stoneking produces pretty believable trumpet sounds using his voice in lieu of an instrument. Talkin Lion Blues, Stoneking's jungle song with added yodelling, is delightful in every way. After one particular tall-tale backstory, Stoneking says, “I hope that was enough entertainment 'cause this song could be rough”; Jungle Blues follows and is anything but. There's an authentic encore where it seems no one's prepared to leave until Stoneking returns and Jailhouse Blues resounds through the church.

As we file out the double doors, it comes as a surprise that we're not stepping out into thick foliage in the middle of a jungle, such is the atmosphere Stoneking's conjured. What a unique, world-class act Stoneking brings! And the material he previews tonight, from his forthcoming third album, sounds mighty promising.