Kate Miller-Heidke, The BoatPeople @ The Prince, Melbourne(14/11/08)

Tue 18th Nov, 2008 in Gig Reviews

For the Melbourne launch of her new album Curiouser – cheekily declared – œastoundingly brilliant’ by the songstress herself – Kate Miller-Heidke brought her operatic, toy box alt-pop to the Prince Bandroom, St Kilda on Friday night. Brisbane friends The Boat People warmed the stage promoting their new album Chandeliers, and their unashamed, squeaky clean pop music made for a fitting opening. Like Belle & Sebastian and Crowded House, their songs are fresh and sparkling with sweet harmonies, jangly guitar and keyboard chords and flourishes. It is impressive to see an indie band so in charge of their sound and masterful of their songwriting: the set is rolling and driving, like crashing waves and the Australian summertime.

Entering the candy striped stage, Miller-Heidke cuts a slinky, kooky film noir figure in black and white, a bit like Helena Bonham-Carter’s chain-smoking femme fatale in Fight Club, her dark, shimmering dress contrasting with a translucent, Snow White tan and peroxide blonde hair. It is her first time headlining the Prince after three support slots – not only is she excited, but the room, sold out and completely full of fans, is also full of anticipation. She’s a tiny bird with an amazing set of lungs – a dark, operatic mating call precedes the surf guitars and schoolgirl oo-oos of Motorscooter, accurately conveying her sound, a juxtaposition of avant-garde and bel canto, hilariously described on her My Space page as lyrical/pop/screamo.

Mama is undoubtedly a highlight of the set – Miller-Heidke pumps out the distorted, minor-key chorus on her keyboard like a little wind-up doll. She is at her best when tearing apart genre and pushing the boundaries of pop over into something darker and more emotional. It is her classical influence that gives her music such a tough, alternative edge. She is both sugary and soprano, a self-conscious pop artist and an honest, technically trained storyteller: indeed, her – œaria’ at the end of Little Adam is enough to send shivers up the most steadfast spine. Sounding like Katie Noonan and playing acoustic guitar for the first time since she was 17, the soft, sweet Hello from her Telegram EP is beautiful, accompanied by the silent swoosh of the palms of the audience rubbing together. Similarly, her quavering voice during The Last Day on Earth conveys the emotion of heartbreak so well.

But, Miller-Heidke is much cheekier than this: she shares naughty anecdotes about how funny and horrible childhood can be, about the most unpopular girl at her primary school and pooing your pants. Her band is similarly eclectic – husband Keir Nuttall brings funky guitar, Nicole Brophy lends a country flavour, bassist Ben McCarthy contributes fantastic bass backing vocals, and drummer Steve Pope is a great rock percussionist. God’s Gift to Women is a particularly dark, comedic track from her new album with a dirty groove and a fun game at the end where she conducts her band like a queen of noise. Her insane, dizzying vocal acrobatics continue until the end of the set, including piss take of Katy Perry (revealing how shallow the brunette’s pop posturising is) and a punky cover of John Farnham’s You’re the Voice. She ends with the fantastic singles Words and Can’t Shake It, which get the whole room moving and relishing the how naff – œdoing the sprinkler’ is, and an encore of Space They Cannot Touch and Dreams. Miller-Heidke proves that her brand of pop is something we need more of – its smart, dark and full of earnest emotion and humour.

CHECK OUT THE AMAZING PIX FROM THE SHOW HERE