The WaifsWith more than two decades under their belt, The Waifs have long been Australian folk darlings. Even with a few years between album releases and tours, the trio can pack out The Tivoli. As the venue slowly fills, easing us into the evening is Heath Cullen, a blues and roots artist from rural New South Wales town, Candelo. You can hear the space in his songs, the easygoing tales of travel and broken hearts clearly influenced by sprawling American alt-country. Accompanied by a drummer and an upright bassist, Cullen cycles through several guitar changes from electric to acoustic and back again. The quirky finger-picked ode to living in a small town is a highlight, as is the rock'n'roll-infused final number.
The Waifs have always been a down-to-earth type of band. Building a following over years of touring in a van, the independent group showcase a distinctly Australian voice, and not just with those strong accents. Their songs are personal, but also capture a beautiful directness and humour. The evolution of songwriting is evident too, Americana seeping in, along with the wisdom of age. Still present is the rapport between the members, their ease and charm on stage, each bringing their own strength. Vikki Thorn's vocal is higher and sweeter than sister Donna Simpson's, but it can howl when needed, and her harmonica lines are lyrical. Simpson brings a dry humour to the stage (“I get a lot of, 'Oh you're in the Waifs? … I love your sister!'”) while the less chatty Josh Cunningham's guitar chops are seriously impressive. The affection for the band is clear in the jostling crowd, and is reflected back by the band in their cheerful banter between songs. “You're all so smiley tonight!” Thorn enthuses, twice. Busting up her ankle before a show in Sydney days earlier (a great anecdote involving morphine and a stolen wheelchair), Simpson performs in a chair, with The Waitress and Highway One getting the whole crowd singing along. More sing-alongs happen for Bridal Train, Lighthouse Man, When I Die and the unofficial anthem of ex-pats everywhere, London Still. Twelve years on from its release it still has that ineffable charm.
Newer songs from Thorn and Cunningham, the latter presumably called Born To Love, are beautiful and show a maturity in the songwriting. The harmonies on Temptation are spine-tingling. The encore is a great example of the band's appeal, the ukulele-strummed Feeling Sentimental sung with great gusto by Simpson, and favourite, Gillian, once more rousing the vocals of the crowd. The final lyrics of the night sung by Thorn sums up The Waifs experience: “We listen to each other, on a beautiful night.”
