Live Review: Pierce Brothers, Reuben Stone, Asha Jefferies

Asha Jefferies' voice struck a chord as soon as we walked in; it's pure, delicate, folky and beautiful. Her laidback tunes got us settled in for a Thursday night.

Reuben Stone is an eclectic dude, as was his stage show, which involved a conglomeration of pads, buttons, dials, pedals and an actual trombone. He used the power of loops, his whistle and some downright strange effects and we got a set of tunes that were enjoyable but hard to really get into. Maybe it was because he didn't really know what was coming next, either! The crowd appreciated it, especially the Men At Work Down Under cover as Stone acknowledged, "You're the most respectful crowd I've had."

Pierce Brothers' headline tour was coming to an end as they played their second-last show of The Records Were Ours tour before heading overseas to support Tash Sultana on her sold-out US tour. The twin brothers, Jack and Patrick, were excited to play, repeatedly commenting on the face that they were in Sydney.

They kicked off the set with Amsterdam, a huge crowd favourite that really set the party mood. Known for their fun vibes and in particular Jack's stage antics, the brothers were never dull despite playing some quieter tracks in this show. Keep In Mind from their latest EP brougt the mood down a bit, but it's a beautiful track and was appreciated by the smallish Oxford Arts Factory audience, despite Jack's warning, "I like to write self-indulgent songs!"

One of the best things about seeing the brothers is their stories. In between each song, along with banter and interaction, they told a story about the tracks they played; sometimes poignant, sometimes funny, but always interesting. Tonight, we heard about their family, the European tours, we were encouraged to vote yes ("or you can leave now") and we heard about Jack's excitement about wireless mics. Patrick, the quieter of the two, spoke through his guitar, especially in his homage to John Butler, A Self Portrait: a frenetic solo instrumental with Jack running around the venue hitting anything that made a noise.

Pierce Brothers deserve a live viewing. They were fun, entertaining and involved the audience continuously. We left with collective smiles on faces. If a band can do that, they've succeeded.