George MapleSydney talent Gordi delivered beautiful, calming, airy tones while maintaining her cool persona at all times, playing solo pieces on guitar or keyboard, with an accomplice on keys for some tracks. After playing Can We Work It Out Gordi apologised for her croaky voice, claiming she was still recovering from Splendour and entertaining us with a wonderful festival anecdote. She's not only musically exceptional but also knows how to tell a great story and engage with the crowd.
Woodes X Elkkle, a recent collab from Melbourne, got off to an 'experimental' start. At times it was unclear whether the off-beat timing was a mistake or brilliantly intentional. Woodes produced beautifully wistful, soft sounds, often in contrast to Elkkle's distorted singing, though at times the two sounds didn't completely gel. Their Say My Name cover was not their finest choice. Thankfully they picked it up with Cocoon and Muddy, two nicely polished tracks. Given time this collab is bound to soar.
George Maple's aura filled the room as soon as she came on, securing the crowd's attention, the strength behind her voice a perfect match with her stage confidence and professionalism. Her vocals were clear, powerful and refined as she belted out each beauty, every song seamlessly flowing into the next. She performed Fixed early, which had the fans singing along. The beats behind her singing transform her pop songs into edgy electronic bangers. Gemini, a favourite, saw punters up on punters' shoulders. She ended with a huge track, Talk Talk, which completely went off. Her set, however, was just too short! The crowd was left yearning for more. We look forward to the release of more solo work so that her incredible sets can be extended for our enjoyment.
