Live review: Adalita in Melbourne
Adalita’s run of shows at Melbourne’s Gasometer came to a close last week. Somethingyousaid.com’s Adrian Pedić was there to check it out:
As the last night of Adalita’s residency, Wednesday night was a showcase for all of the elements that carried the idea: it was comfortable and casual, the mood was positive and even jovial at times, and most importantly, the performances were a pleasure.
Claws and Organs kicked off the night with a noisy and punchy set. The constant feedback throughout added a fresh dimension to the now-standard guitar-bass-drums trio line-up. Sounding like a suburban Melbourne Sonic Youth, the creativity added an edge to their songs; importantly, it was never distracting or overwhelming. Credit is due to the young group for opening the night with an interesting and engaging set.
Soon after, Adalita took the stage for her final show at the Gasometer this month. After three previous gigs, it was clear that she had settled in to the venue; the set was undeniably cheery throughout, with Adalita often joking with members of the audience, and smiling throughout. Her setlist was a solid collection of her solo material, some new songs and a few covers. In particular, the cover of Iggy Pop’s “The Passenger” was a rousing success, with Ramona from Dark Fair joining on rhythm guitar, and Dave from Claws and Organs on tambourine. Even after a false start, the cover was done extremely well, with Adalita’s natural stage presence and charm keeping the proceedings light.
After a Roy Orbison cover (it wasn’t “Pretty Woman”) and a few promising new tracks, Adalita, Ramona and Dan (her drummer) closed things out with a belting rendition of “Goin Down”, which ended with Adalita ripping the feedback out of her guitar like it was divinely sanctioned.
As a showcase for an artist, Adalita’s residency at the Gasometer was a triumph. More specifically, the more intimate setting and mood opened up the night, and Adalita’s comfort in the venue lead to a easy-going, yet great, show. As she is preparing material for a new album, it was a great indication of things to come, as well as a celebration of one of Australia’s most consistently high-performing artists.
Review by Adrian Pedić.
