Live Review: Montaigne, Miss Blanks, Stevie Jean

You'll never forget the moment you get to hear Stevie Jean for the first time. With her powerful but pure vocal accompanied by a sheer talent for writing music, she easily engaged the early crowd on Friday. "You guys are the actual best!" exclaimed the solo singer after a few songs. The soul in her voice and the sensuality of her guitar complemented each other perfectly. The set was too short but long enough to win over a room of new fans ready for the next time she hits town.

Stevie Jean @ Metro Theatre. Photo by Belinda Dipalo.

Miss Blanks came out swinging. Despite some tech difficulties, she powered through her savage and honest raps, but the delays between songs unfortunately stopped the set from flowing. Songs like Clap Clap and This Bitch saw her hitting her stride, but her interaction with the crowd was minimal and stilted. The front row, ready to get into the show, were met with little connection from the artist. The set was over before it really felt like it began, with only glimpses of how talented this performer can be.

Miss Blanks @ Metro Theatre. Photo by Belinda Dipalo.

The packed Metro Theatre screamed as one when Montaigne, under the shadow of darkness, arrived on stage. As the lights came up, Montaigne and her music came alive. She played the opening track from her acclaimed second album, Complex, Change. The song, with its percussive snare and sudden peaks and troughs, saw Montaigne launch herself around the stage with abandon, and the result was glorious to watch and hear. After she stumbled as she sang, she lay on the floor, giggled and popped back up to a big cheer. That resilience and sheer joy was a theme of a set that showed just how much talent this Sydney-based artist has.

We heard most of the tracks from Complex. It’s an album that illustrates some of the more challenging parts of her life, including a failed relationship and periods of self-doubt. For Your Love's intimacy and preciseness made us feel so close to an artist giving everything to every song. The band, too, created such an intricately woven texture of sound. The drum beat driving Losing My Mind, paired with the exactness of the bass and keys, provided an opportunity for the singer to cut loose.

Montaigne @ Metro Theatre. Photo by Belinda Dipalo.

Consolation Prize was performed quietly and the entire theatre hushed to hear the intimate track. Montaigne hit the notes sublimely, and with ease, such is the maturity of her voice. The double hit of Pleasure and Is This All I Am Good For? revealed the insecurities of the singer, even if the audience were loving everything about her performance.

The album’s final track, Ready, rounded out the main set with joy and celebration. Every move from Montaigne felt purposeful, passionate and exhibited just how ‘in’ the moment she was. What we witnessed was theatre – choreographed to a point, but with enough freedom to make it feel special to the audience. Montaigne gave everything to the show and we could tell she had fun doing it. That's all music fans ever really want to see.