Xavier Rudd, Dallas Frasca @UC Refectory, Canberra,(03/11/08)

Sun 9th Nov, 2008 in Gig Reviews

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Dreadlocks, peace and – œspecial herbs’ were the order of the night on Monday 3rd November at the UC Refectory. Australian musician Xavier Rudd, with special guests Dallas Frasca, visited the nation’s capital to promote his seventh album.

First up, support band Dallas Frasca, which consisted of the titular lead singer/guitarist Jeff Curran, shredded up the small stage with their mix of rock and country. It is usually very hard to warm up a crowd as the first band of the night, however they did extremely well.

With a Melissa Etheridge/Janis Joplin-esque voice, Dallas blew everybody away with the raw power and intensity of her vocal chords. Starting with a few bum notes, the band got into the swing of things quickly, showing off their amazing talents. A special mention of Jeff’s playing abilities; not only is he a left-handed guitarist, he also plays guitar upside-down, allowing Dallas to use the same guitars.

Telling the crowd – œthe people of Canberra have rhythm’, the band were slow and soothing one minute, then rock-y and upbeat the next. Playing an intimate set, Dallas and Jeff bounced off each other and the audience’s vibes. Exotic riffs and commanding lyrics kept the audience enthralled, and their set seemed to end too quickly.

After a long wait, with the crowd getting increasingly restless, a barefoot Xavier appeared. On stage, an array of bongos, didgeridoos, chimes and a bunch of other instruments were arranged around a stool, ready for the headliner to work his magic. Dressed in a khaki shirt, with an Aboriginal flag on his pocket, Xavier bowed to the audience and took his place onstage.

His trademark dreads were hidden by a train-conductor’s hat, but his energy and music were certainly out in the open. Jamming with his drummer, Xavier’s gravelly, grog-affected voice filled up the whole room and everybody digged the great vibes. – œI get a real buzz when I come to a uni’ he told his followers, – œÃ¢â‚¬Â¦ many intelligent young people come here, it’s a place to change the world, it’s inspiring’.

He is not a performer, or particularly captivating to watch, but does have an incredible song-writing ability. Environmental and political messages were encapsulated in melodic, soothing songs. At one stage, he had his eyes closed, head raised and was mouthing words to the sky while strumming his slide guitar, giving the impression of prayer or insanity. At this point, someone from the audience felt the need to yell out – œWhat are you smoking Mr Rudd?’; which, funnily enough, summed up the entire night.

Mixing rock with roots sensibility, Xavier entertained his followers with new, and old songs, to promote his new album called Dark Shades of Blue. Judging by his massive Canberra fanbase, the two hour set he played, and the enormous reaction to even the most subtle of statements, Xavier Rudd will continue to captivate his listeners and probably will return to the capital very soon.