Live Review: Moses Sumney, Jaala

There's a bit of a kerfuffle outside Door 2 of the Recital Centre as a massive queue forms and only a handful of punters are let in at each song's close to watch Jaala. This a shame, really, because we only get to experience her final two songs, which are meandering observations (did she just rhyme "parenthesis" with "DJ set"?) over gentle guitar noodling. Jaala looks striking up there with her platinum blonde mullet and long red kilt, and her banter is endearing as she tells us stories about trying to say hi to artists backstage then immediately feeling awkward and backing away then finding out the next day that James Blake was also in the room. An extremely enigmatic artist, we suspect Jaala comes from another planet entirely.

After intermission, we squint at the stage through extremely dark, subtle lighting design as the three members of Moses Sumney's extraordinary backing band take their positions. Sumney sneaks on last wearing some kind of black robe and materialises behind a pair of microphones. These are connected by draped black fabric, which resembles a ghost rocking a little black dress. What's behind the material? The Wizard Of Oz springs to mind. The audience hush is so notable that a photographer's shutter sounds deafening. At the conclusion of the first masterpiece, Sumney welcomes "all the latecomers" who are being ushered in, cheekily adding, "Come on in! Bring your shame. I know this is a theatre show, but feel free to get on up and shake your asses."

Sumney's voice sounds like a woodwind instrument and sometimes his fingers flutter in front of him as if he's playing air clarinet. "I wrote this next song because no one would make out with me," he enlightens. Someone hollers some kind of offer. Sumney adds, "We are taking volunteers!" He is simultaneously sassy and classy and Make Out In My Car washes over us, totally spellbinding.  

Hoping to recruit our vocal help with some harmonies, Sumney instructs those in attendance who are aged 27 and under to follow his lead. Only a smattering of voices follow and Sumney observes with a chuckle, "You're all senior citizens!" He then changes the age for one harmony to those 29 and under and the results are magnificent. Sumney instructs us to sustain these notes and commences Everlasting Sigh, but sadly we don't boast his vocal control. After rapturous applause, plus-one gushes, "Oh, my god! That's the best thing I think I've ever heard in my life!"

The musician wearing a beanie, positioned stage left, coaxes sounds from his clarinet that one would never usually associate with this instrument. Sumney asks how many of us were at his Sugar Mountain sideshow at The Toff In Town last year and there are only scattered yells of admission. He then observes, while gazing around the magnificence of the Recital Centre, "See how far we've come?" As Sumney launches into his cover of Bjork's Come To Me, we collectively draw our breath, preparing to fight back tears. Is it possible to out-Bjork Bjork? If so, we reckon Sumney just did and all wanna make out with him in a car pronto. Those beseeching vocals during Lonely World flow directly from Sumney's soul and his voice taps into our deepest longings while simultaneously providing hope. The drummer's galloping rhythms add dramatic flourishes to the stunning live version of this song and samples of finger-snaps emphasise humanity in the arrangement.

Worth It - which features repeated, "I don't know if I am worth it," chorus lyrics - sees audience members clutching friends' hands for moral support. Does Sumney experience self-doubt? Surely this song can't be autobiographical! If you close your eyes, you'd swear you were flying. After there's audible disappointment when Sumney announces we've come to the end of the show he encourages us to head along to Laneway on Saturday, adding that he's also playing Sydney Opera House. Sumney then invites our requests before hilariously dismissing all of them. "Do a cover!" a punter shouts out and Sumney likes this idea, informing us he'll play one that he doesn't play often, I Heard Love Is Blind by Amy Winehouse. Sumney then laughs when he's reminded that he actually performed this song at his aforementioned Sugar Mountain sideshow in Melbourne. During set closer Plastic, during which Sumney claims his wings are "made of plastic", he encourages "don't be shy" in the hope that we'll sing along. But we just wanna hear his voice exclusively!

Sumney's pipes are a gift from god and his soaring spirit elevates us to infinity and beyond. The congregation in the church of Moses feels transcended.