Live Review: Nadya Golski & The Glorious Sousaphonics

The Glorious Sousaphonics packed the minuscule stage at Gasoline Pony with instruments and stage presence alike. The band of dapper gentlemen moved through an array of musical genres with hints of gypsy, cajun, blues, jazz and ragtime in a set you might find in New Orleans' iconic music hub, The French Quarter.

The mood turned from jovial to groovy as the boys broke into a raucous display of old time fun with solos pitched in by each and every member of the band. Nadya Golski of 101 Candles Orkestra joined the boys on stage, making lovely incursions into the sweet and balmy tones of a musical styling the band has labelled verging on "bluebrass".

Delicious off-colour renditions of jazz and blues standards and favourites emanated from this troupe of well-adorned misfits, with wistful shades provided by vocalist Golski. The songs were delivered one by one in a joyfully cosy cluster of horn instruments, drums, guitar and vocals.

The band broke into a choral a cappella of The Stranglers' 1981 classic Golden Brown as a plane roared over the Marrickville locale. Elvis Presley's Love Me Tender and an old French ballad peppered the air as a warming atmosphere greeted a small but receptive audience. 

For a brief moment in time, as the planes died down and the traffic thinned, the fairy lights twinkled and smiles stretched across faces, that part of Marrickville Road was transformed into NOLA's Frenchmen Street. The merry band of players dazzled late into the Thursday night, keeping the faithful warm as the night grew darker and more chill.