Live Review: Paul Greene & The Other Colours, Steve Lane & The Autocrats, Nicole Brophy

Having fought through snow to get to the gig, currently homeless in the midst of a move north, you can understand why it took a minute for Nicole Brophy to settle. By the time she played Rock It, her Alannah Myles-style whiskey molasses voice had simultaneously welcomed the crowd with a bear hug and slapped a shot in front of them to signal the start of an adventure. Somewhere between Ricki Lee Jones, La Roux and Beth Orton, the track Jack And Jill showed exactly how Brophy offers more than the usual folk chanteuse.

Playing as a three-piece, the usually five-strong Steve Lane & The Autocrats didn't make a fuss of saying hello, preferring to launch into their set. Billy Bragg-style storytelling was made popular in Australia by the likes of Paul Kelly and Mick Thomas, but sadly there has been a dearth of artists to carry the torch this century. Lane and co fill this void, with a Cure or Church romance overlaying Geldof-esque social commentary. Tickertape and So Real were highlights, while Far Far Away wryly echoed My Sweet Lord. Wanting to add some oomph, they sincerely asked for a drummer in the room and were joined by the headliner himself. Jokes aside, for a singer he's not a bad drummer.

Paul Greene is a south coast surfer, a road-weary rock god, has pop sensibilities as well as indie cred and always delivers insightful songwriting direct from the pages of your soul. With a bandolier of harmonicas, a sax, flute and chimes joining the more traditional acoustic, bass and drums, the set-up matched the mood of the night. His performance of the Aussie pub classic, Khe Sanh – the soulful way Don Walker intended it to be played – epitomised Greene's familiar yet anomalous quality. Older tracks Some Simplicity, Pretty Girls and Work Love Dance Trust went over well with the locals and introduced newcomers to the exhilaration, power and calm that is Greene's voice. Get Over It and Alive, Not Just Living rocked things along and got the crowd dancing.

Undeniably the highlight of the night came after the curfew, with amps unplugged and sitting alone on the floor with his guitar, Greene delivered the most astonishing cover of 2012. His rendition of The Whole Of The Moon was truly spellbinding. Playing unaccompanied and vulnerable made his voice all the more vivid. You can grab his new album, Behind The Stars, but to hear him at his best, get along to a gig and when he asks for requests, embrace your inner bogan and shout “Khe Sanh”.