Live Review: Zac Eden, Alison Marie, Kate Miller

Zac Eden launched his debut EP into the world after a two-year journey and with an abundance of charm and great lyrics, the night was a sure sign of good things to come. Supporting the launch were two fellow singer-songwriters who met through SCALA (Songwriters Composers And Lyricists Association), Katie Miller and Alison Marie.

Kate Miller has an outstanding voice, similar in accent and tone to Amy Winehouse but with a bit more twang. By using the dynamics of her voice and acoustic guitar to their full effect there were many special moments, she held the audience captive as her voice floated delicately over the sound of a picked guitar or hit you with a poignant line. Following, Alison Marie took to the stage with her all-female band to play through a few of her songs. The band seems to have great potential and the set felt fresh, with songs built around a variety of styles, from a "pretty cute apple pie doo-wop" to a "tongue-in-cheek" eleven-bar blues and ending on her recently award-winning song Ruination.

It was then time for main act Zac Eden who was performing his eponymous five-track EP as a four-piece band with the addition of sax. The set started in the best way possible, slow and soft, showcasing the words of a great songwriter in the making and then hitting you with the sound of the full band and the kind of energy you want to experience when out on a Friday night. Long Kiss Goodbye is a big song and its brilliance creeps up on you somewhere between the chorus, where the main hook " or is this going to be a long kiss goodbye" sort of takes you by surprise, and the bridge, which elevates it to an anthem with its raw vocals and energy.

Eden has tapped into something special when it comes to his vocal range, alternating deep vocals on Step Into My Office, with mid-range and falsetto on Blackout. There is a lot going for Eden and his music. Expect to hear a lot more about him in the near future.