Gig attendance in Adelaide can be sporadic at the best of times, so it was marvelous to see the venue hit capacity early in the evening. Down in the basement, the first arrivals were greeted by Sydney duo Fishing, who belted out an impressive set with next to no gear at their disposal.
Then came SAFIA, one of the most exciting electronic acts to surface in a while. Joking that musicians are a dying breed in their hometown of Canberra, they left most in awe with their brand of emotive saturated digital noise. With vocalist Ben Woolner taking control of the room in Listen To Soul, Listen To Blues, it was covers of The Aston Shuffle and James Vincent McMorrow that really brought things home.
Headliner Elizabeth Rose came onto the stage in Adidas sneakers and an iridescent dress that looked like something straight out of Marcus Pfister's The Rainbow Fish. With friend Alex Gowan beside her on keys, she sang and danced her way into an energetic hour-long set. Behind her loomed kaleidoscopic visuals that breathed a new dimension into her performance.
Unable to keep the grin off her face, and chatting happily to the crowd, Rose looked visibly humbled to be playing to a sold out venue. It was reciprocated, with each song being met by attentive ears and rapturous applause.
She had everyone grooving to her R&B-inspired track Sensibility, as well as a cover of Corona's Rhythm Of The Night. By the time Rose played her final song, The Good Life, the crowd had become a blur of dancing limbs.
