Sharon Van EttenPlaying to a refreshingly agreeable, considerate crowd, New Zealand’s Tiny Ruins set the tone for an evening that was memorable for many reasons, but most notably for the standout vocal performances that illuminated both sets.
Led by the crawling, deftly picked guitar work of Hollie Fullbrook, Tiny Ruins craft delicate songs that occasionally lift in intensity but are mostly beholden to Fullbrook’s beautiful melodies and outstanding voice. Lyrically, she crafts lucid vignettes that are easy to get lost in, as is the case in Adelphi Apartments, and the profound sound quality of the Chevron Festival Gardens provided the ideal setting for the songs to take flight. Drummer Alexander Freer was the busier of the two accompanying musicians, relying mostly on the warmth of a bass drum and floor toms to add meat to Fullbrook’s musical bones, but there were occasions when the flavour of additional guitar or keys would’ve been welcome. On the whole, though, this was a flawless performance, rounded off by the fabulous She’ll Be Coming ‘Round and affirming Fullbrook as a gifted songwriter and polished performer.
As the number of musicians on stage swelled so too did the fever within the crowd, and it was with some zeal that Sharon Van Etten and her band were welcomed for their first ever show in Perth. Setting off with Afraid Of Nothing from 2014’s excellent Are We There, there was an immediate shift in dynamics as Van Etten’s band brought muscle and power to a previously delicate night. As she floated without effort between soaring highs and deep, indecipherable lows, the diminutive Van Etten contrasted her often dark, serious intra-song persona with something much more affable between tracks. She chatted amiably with the crowd and looked genuinely chuffed when her bandmates presented her with a cake for her birthday, an extra detail that punctuated the celebratory vibe that was in the air.
Musically, there was a lot to be taken from the harmonies she and keyboardist Heather Woods Broderick created, the intensity with which they met each other’s gaze embellishing their strong vocal relationship. Every Time The Sun Comes Up rounded off the main set, its irresistible chorus echoing through the night, while the rolling, rocking Serpents closed the performance entirely. Like Fullbrook, Van Etten put on a display that met sizeable expectations and married musical and vocal prowess with the greatest of ease.
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