Live Review: Vera Blue, LANKS

A warming night of dreamy indie-folk awaited a buzzing Adelaide crowd at Jive on Thursday night, as the chilled air was hit with the twangy waves of acoustic guitar, otherworldly voices and pulsing synths. Vera Blue was settling in.

The sold out crowd packed the venue early for the dream-rock sounds of LANKS. Fresh off the triple j Unearthed charts, LANKS' eclectic blend of sounds worked well as he soared through his own live version of his Just A Gent collab Heavy As A Heartbreak.

Opening like the beginning of a sci-fi film was Vera Blue. Shrouded in mist, Celia Pavey's silhouette was lit up by an ominous green glow. Her forest sprite-like energy was the foundation of her folky lilt, with her voice soaring through the high notes. Her cover of Gorillaz's track Feel Good Inc. awakened some sort of mesmerising, ethereal spirit within the room, capturing everyone in a temporary hazy bliss.

She donned an acoustic guitar to show off her musicianship and to bring us back to her roots. We were treated to a funky new track First Week, held together by an impressive use of the loop pedal and a strategically placed drum pad.

Pavey moved into Settle with the ease of a well-seasoned performer, her confident stage presence making for some completely enchanting viewing. Her vocal runs were nothing short of impressive, with the obvious air of a professional musician working hard at honing her craft. Her band work at the same standard, the live instruments complementing her voice as if her vocal chords had been crafted with the same precision; fine-tuned like a violin.

It's a pleasure to watch an artist completely lose themselves in the performance the way Pavey does. She moves around the stage with a graceful prowess, as LANKS makes another appearance on stage for a slowed-down rendition of Papercuts. Pavey's quietly bubbling success shines through as she works through her recent Like A Version cover of Jack Garratt's Breathe Life, before reaching the summit of her musical journey in the incredible falsettos of Hold.

Pavey is an incredible spirit, her love for her craft shining through in every note she sings and plays. She is pure talent, and a rare gem of a find in indie-electro-folk scene. She's nothing short of magical.