Laura MarlingExcited chatter filled the Astor Theatre, the crowd ready to enjoy a night full of mellow folk music from Laura Marling.
Melbourne's DD Dumbo graced the stage in tight black jeans and an army-style hair cut. He began to play around with the numerous instruments around him, setting each one with a specific rhythm. Tropical Oceans intrigued the senses with its blues guitar riffs and DD Dumbo aka Oliver Hugh Perry's astonishing voice. He introduced new track Oyster, which had a brilliantly deep rhythm, but had also featured a frog sound throughout due to a young girl's scream during the pre-recording of the drums. Perry is a one-man band who blows minds with his pedal genius.
The pixie-cut blond with guitar in hand stepped on stage to a packed theatre screaming for her. As the lights dimmed, Laura Marling launched into I Was An Eagle, which flowed into Breathe, sending the room into a daze of bobbing heads. Lyrically Marling's songs are raw and honest; she doesn't hold back from the truth or from letting her emotions. Master Hunter got the folk country vibe going as the room filled with the sound of acoustic guitars and bass, while rousing lyrics engaged the crowd.
The emotional lyrics of When Brave Bird Saved were accompanied by a mellow, acoustic rhythm and beautiful, hazy, coloured lighting that set the mood for the song. Marling laughed at the fact that Perth has a lot of coffee shops but not a lot of bathrooms; the crowed loved the intimate, funny conversations, and Marling even cracked a few jokes at her own expense. She sung an acoustic version of Dolly Parton's Do I Ever Cross Your Mind, showcasing her vocals that hit all the right notes. Goodbye England (Covered In Snow) made you want to spend winter in England playing with snow while Night After Night was brutally honest about relationships going wrong.
"Just letting you know, we don't do encores. We are English and we just don't do encores," she explained, sipping on red wine between songs. Rambling Man and How Can I were the so-called 'we don't do encore' songs — they changed the atmosphere in the room as everyone knew it was close to the end but wanted more. Laura Marling is one talented performer — her astounding vocals, bewildering guitar skills, and the honesty of her songs will have you in a daze.
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