Friday, December 9, 2011

Salt N Pepa - Shoop Down Under

Band: Salt N Pepa
Venue: Palais Theatre, St Kilda
Date: 3rd December 2011
Reviewed By: espylyn



Salt N Pepa are a trio who have been around since the clappers and are vaguely hip hop, dance style of rap pop music originating from Queens, New York City when rap was throught to be a phase. They were one of the first female rapper bands with success, and members Cheryl "Salt" James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton and DJ Spinderalla gave us catchy tunes to sing until the cows came home.

Spinderalla doesn't perform with the band (if you read wiki, she is a radio host these days) but the two Salt N Pepa originals, hit the stage and initially stood in pose for a bit (in their glittery armour), lapping in the screams and attention from gooey females and horney one eyed males who waved in contention at the two hotties on stage.

They played covers, Beyonce 'All The Single Ladies' and Kayne West 'Gold Digger' and naturally all their hits spanning over 25 years. A few newies which were also met with applause, but it was without doubt the oldies that caused the most ruckus. 'What A Man', 'Push It' and lastly Shoop' got the duo over the bar and into the heads of the crowd. A crowd that was mixed with look-a-likes, gay and lesbians, few youngies but mainly over 30 year old's and it was no excitement to watch some who were agressive and drunk. Although not a band I generally listen to, Salt N Pepa gave as good as they were years ago and it was obvious the crowd thought so too. With a flurry of screams the patrons staggered out into the night

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Dolly Parton - Cowgirls and Giggles

Band: Dolly Parton
Venue: Rod Laver Arena
Date: 23/11/2011
Reviewed By: Espylyn

Dolly Parton entered stage to applause and the pint sized, top heavy, giggling beauty wearing glittery tight outfits gave us five covers initally starting with 'Walking On Sunshine'- enter not impressed face here, when she has such a back catalogue. Finally we entered the hits and Dolly did not stop. Dolly is a comedian to boot, many stories about her family days and how she progressed as a singer and a few jokes between songs and two hours later we all came to really like a lady who has been gracing the music scene for over forty years. A Tennessee spirit, one of ten children, who has somehow managed to pass Australia shores for 25 years, finally came our way and through 'My Tennesse Mountain Home', 'Nine To Five' and 'Little Sparrow' she soaked up the applause and brought out the religious side to her life. Despite rumors I couldn't see any evidence of lip synching, and she held her voice strong throughout the show with only snippets of catching her breath. Dolly plays banjo, flute, saxaphone, guitar, autoharp and piano - what a woman! An encore and lastly 'I Will Always Love You' sent us on our way home.

Nick Cave Tribute - Straight To You

Band: Nick Cave Tribute
Venue: The Forum Theatre, Melbourne
Date: 12/11/2011
Reviewed By: espylyn

As a Nick Cave fan, writing about a tribute show on one of my favourite artists could be hard or easy. Do I compare the musicians to Nick or do I draw on their strengths and talents in performing the songs or do I try to feel I’m hearing the songs for the first time? I think the middle suggestion is best. I can’t compare anyone to one of our national treasures who has brought us the songs and i don’t think there is any way I can pretend I’ve never heard the songs before! All artists tonight have been influenced by Cave in their own rich and developing ways over the past 35 years! If you haven’t heard of Nick Cave then get your head out of the sand and do yourself a favour. Tonight we are graced with some amazing talent, new and old, and each delves into each Cave song with their own essence and beauty.

A packed venue tonight at The Forum Theatre as I make my way near the front and see chandeliers above stage and a rich red glow on the stage. The Triple J boys welcome us all to Part I of the night, then band enter - Kram (Spiderbait) is last to walk to his drum kit and straight into Red Right Hand, a quieter version, yet a version with impact . Bertie Blackman and Muscles continue with Do You Love Me which has great atmosphere and takes the song for a ride with fabulous keyboard action. Muscles takes on Let Love In which I didn’t fancy that much, because there was just no oomph for me. Lie Down Here & Be My Girl unleashes Abbe May with guitar in tow and she takes the song and licks into it with guitar solos and lashings of expression.

Alex Burnett (Sparkadia) is a tremendous asset tonight, suited to the style of Cave music; he takes on Shivers and does a great version of the famous tune. Alex incites Lani Lane onstage for Where The Wild Roses Grow which is aptly sung. The two weave on stage and almost act out the song. Johnny MacKay (Children Collide) puts sparks into Nick The Stripper (I can’t help but wonder if Cave is invoking him!), whilst Lani Lane takes on the trombone for this song. Johnny loses control of the microphone but the way he embraced the song, it’s no wonder and it just proved how much of himself he was putting into the song. Johnny then heads into People, Just Ain’t No Good.

Lisa Mitchell cruises into Ship Song and this is credibly sung, nothing but her voice and the sound of piano accordion to float around the room. Jake Stone from Blue Juice creeps on stage and says “what’s up c***s and most of the crowd laughs whilst he sways into The Weeping Song – a dub version, that somehow fitted. Jake was very tame compared to his normal antics on stage.

Urthboy was rather different and I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy hearing Cave in hip hop style, and the songO’Children was sung in a way I don’t think Cave would ever thought possible. It was sung handsomely and I enjoyed it better that the original. Tim Rogers (again, I feel he was invoked by Cave), bounced into From Her To Eternity, all over the stage would be sweat from Tim. After a wardrobe malfunction, which left us all seeing his pants partly fall down, but this didn’t stop Tim, screaming the song to the crowd, falling to his knees and overall totally immersing himself into the song, the way Cave does.

Part II takes us on another path of Cave delights. Abbe May sings Depth Charge Ethel and Adalita grooves into Straight To You followed by Lisa Mitchell crooning through Into My Arms and ending by dancing with Jake Stone. The girls do Cave justice and now the boys take stage – Paul Kelly strides on stage to crowd applause and heads into Nobody’s Baby Now which features those prominent keys again, fantastic. The song Lament brings Spanish dancing to the stage, before we are taken into a rap version of Stagger Lee by Urthboy, I love the original of this song and I feel this was a pretty good version of the song and the band were amazing here.

Stagger Lee was staged out with Lani and Alex taking part in the acting out the song. Bertie hops back on stage saying ‘that is a hard act to follow’ and she launches into The Mercy Seat which she takes on like a bull in a china shop. Kram sings Henry Lee and this version pulled elements of his cheekiness with the flow of the song and joined both together to be a hit.
For the finale, all artists joins stage and head into Jack The Ripper, There She Goes My Beautiful World and lastly (one of my favourites), Papa Won’t Leave You Henry.


as seen at www.theaureview.com.au