Live Review: The Audreys, Dan Lethbridge

Melbourne based singer-songwriter, Dan Lethbridge took to the stage in solo acoustic form, opening with a strong, beautifully clear voice.

The obviously affected musician confessed his woes about the airline leaving his guitar back in Melbourne - only to reunite with his prized piece moments before the show.

He dedicated his first song to his darling Amy, as the obviously affected musician confessed his woes about the airline leaving his guitar back in Melbourne - only to reunite with his prized piece moments before the show. Perhaps the experience assisted his authentically sorrowful sound, as the songwriter bled his melancholia into his performance. From a Justin Townes Earle cover to a quiet, introspective melody, Lethbridge slowly sipped from a glass laced with ambiguous brown liquid, adding to the aesthetic of the tormented singer. 

Most of the set was consistently mellow with Wish For What You Had as a stand-out rocky tune. The griminess of the slightly more upbeat number was a nice change, well received by the folk-friendly audience. Producer and electric guitarist Shane O'Mara joined Lethbridge on stage for a ditty that livened up the place, adding a more dynamic edge to set. 

Breaking into their set with a big rock sound, The Audreys launched into My Darlin' Girl followed by the popular Roll Away. Taasha Coates projected her sultry voice accompanied by a cheeky pull at her dress hem, phonically luring the audience into the rock grit world that is 'Til My Tears Roll Away. By the third song, Coates jokingly acknowledged the strict order of the set. “We put a lot of thought into the order of our record… stuff you, you're going to hear it the way it was intended to be heard,” proclaimed the lead singer, then noting, “...and this is track four from our new album”.

“This is the end of side one. After this you only have to flip us over.” 

A gleeful group of dancers lined the front of the stage received a reassuring high five from fashionably scruffy guitarist Tristan Goodall. “This is the end of side one. After this you only have to flip us over,” Coates jokes. Ben Wiesner impressively played the triangle with one hand before the touring band members were shooed off stage for some back-to-basics duetting. Goodall switched to the comically small ukulele for the softer I Can't Sleep. Despite a disruptive murmur from the crowd during the quietest portion of the set, a burst of applause confirmed loyal adoration for The Audreys. 

The evening concluded with two enthusiastic encores, rounding out a soulful performance that left an air of delicious blues and roots gratification.