Live Review: Hamish Anderson

Hamish Anderson, the 21-year-old Melbourne-based singer-songwriter who penned his first song at the tender and conventionally immature age of 17, plays to an almost full Tote bandroom for his debut EP launch. The aforementioned premier track, entitled Winter, closes the self-titled EP, and is rich with symbolism and imagery far beyond his years. The song is played in the middle of the set, and while all punters seem to be enjoying the euphonic melodies, a particularly proud father Anderson stands near, beaming and looking intently at his son, singing along to the song.

Anderson sings tales of love, affection and loss, all of which manage to uphold humility and optimism, and never submit to being indulgent. Influences can be heard easily but subtly, in the sense that Anderson has channelled and honoured them, but lathered the tribute with his own engaging and unique style. There's a bit of Jeff Buckley, Tom Waits, and even Tom Petty, who is credited explicitly with a cover of Crawling Back To You. Two songs on, there's a Beatles cover, the pounding Come Together, which Anderson plays both honestly and intensely, with the whole crowd bouncing heads and tapping feet from those first identifiable hooks. Amongst the covers, Anderson plays “a relatively new” song, For You, which is instantly a highlight, not to dismiss the elevated standard with which the whole set is performed.

As the 12-song set chugs along, friend Alice Stockdale is welcomed to the stage and provides backing vocals and gentle harmonies on several tracks, starting with Empty Thoughts, as well as another new song called Drunk, which Anderson insists will aptly sum up bassist Jeremy at the show's conclusion. Closing with Howl, a song that has had national airplay and is one of Anderson's better-known tracks, the man, only recently come of age, employs a final burst of intensity and guitaring perfection. He's a talent that  provides an exhibition that is addictive to watch, and gives total bang for your buck if you get the chance to witness it.