Live Review: Kate Miller Heidke

Kate Miller-Heidke is one of few opera-trained singers who can burp mid-verse and not only laugh it off, but somehow turn it into a charming feat. It's almost as if she has two alter egos. One takes control during the music and the other runs amuck when she's chatting to the crowd, red wine in hand. That's the great thing about her live shows – they're unpredictable, fun and entertaining. A packed out Astor Theatre was treated to nearly two hours of non-stop, acoustic Miller-Heidke as she powered through hits and gave the audience a preview of her new album Nightflight. With the introduction of each song, a brief story would accompany it. The Tiger Inside Will Eat The Child began with the recollection of her nerves when they played it on Q&A last year: ”My anus quivered for days,” she laughed. The audience loved every one of her little tales and at one point she instructed them to Google “tea bagging” when they got home. Her range of subject matter was on par with her vocal range – that, if given the chance, could probably shatter glass. With a set of songs about anything from Facebook and Southern Cross tattoos to death and romance, and a cover of Eminem's Slim Shady, all bases were covered. Her husband, Keir Nuttall, who is also her guitarist, stole the show on numerous occasions with his own brand of nerdy humour and interesting vocal melodies. A five-minute guitar solo towards the end of the set encompassed the facial expressions of a death metal band and showed he'd been holding back his talent for most of the set. With powerful and flawless vocals in between song charm that left the audience hanging off every word, and wit stronger than most comedians, Miller-Heidke proved to the Astor that she has it all – and that was just with an acoustic guitar and keyboard behind her. If you're only familiar with a radio version of Miller-Heidke, do yourself a favour and check her out live.