Sydney songstress Iluka kicked off proceedings quite early and without warning, beckoning those who lurked at the edges of the room to come forward and pay attention. With three-quarters of her band in tow, missing a drummer to accompany this evening’s performance, they still filled the small space with their organic and soulful rock’n’roll.
The Moon got special mention on account of the show falling on the night of the ‘super moon’, creating a brief conversation between Iluka and the audience, which till this point had been quiet, apparently a ‘rarity’. Iluka’s vocals were the highlight of the performance, earnest and strong, as she and the band played their short set of new and old tracks.
The Tambourine Girls also launched into their set without introductions, seamlessly jamming through material from their End Of Time EP. The band was tight, delivering their Britpop- and psych rock-infused tracks with confidence. Lead singer Simon Relf treated us to a short solo piece, strumming away on his impressive 12-string guitar, before the band rejoined to “play a few more songs so we can all go home”.
The musical relationship between the bassist and drummer was something to be admired as they worked together to keep the set at a steady pace, shining through when called upon to play an extended drum and bass solo to entertain the audience while other technical difficulties were alleviated. The Tambourine Girls closed out their set with new single, Ghosts, showcasing harmonies and a well-constructed guitar solo.
The atmosphere of the show resembled more a jam session than a gig, but much of that could be attributed to the charm of the venue, and on tonight’s performance, the band would be worth watching jam again.
