Alex Lloyd, Georgia Fair @ TheZoo, Brisbane (08/05/09)

Sat 16th May, 2009 in Gig Reviews

Check out pics from the show right here on FL.

A first glance at Georgia Fair duo Jordan Wilson and Ben Riley had me guessing these guys couldn’t be a day over 18. Naturally easy going, even on stage, their music sounded beautifully soft; the perfect kind for Sunday afternoon drinks and such. Lead singer Jordan had a stunning voice, and it was evident both he and guitarist Ben had a laid back disposition. Even their stage presence was casual, making them immediately amiable. Something New was a wonderfully cruisey tune, and Jordan enlightened us that the next one was a newbie. “But these are all probably new to you,” he joked. The mood went only from powerful to meaningful, with Jordan’s Aussie accent enhancing the music – making it feel more and more like home. By the second chorus of Picture Frames I felt like singing along.

Both boys played their instruments well and sung like they meant it, such a great talent considering how young they are. “We’re going to play a reggae song next, just for the hell of it,” informed Jordan. I was startled at how well Ben worked his guitar in this track. I Don’t Want It had great lyrics and was a perfect genre swap. “Ben likes that one – œcause he gets to show off,” laughed Jordan. Fair enough! Ben absolutely ripped on guitar, as if he’s been doing it all his life. I’m forever blind and December were next, and we were instantly transported back to that mesmerising euphoric state. Stunning, moving tracks came one after the other, allowing the audience to become completely absorbed in the music. “We’re going to play something a little happier!” joked Jordan before beginning Summer’s Coming Round. Georgia Fair had a supreme collection of songs, all equally stunning. Highly recommended to all acoustic folk lovers, these guys were simply amazing.

“Wow” were the first words my plus one mentioned to me as Alex Lloyd finally entered the stage. I knew instantly what she was talking about – Alex looks like he’s stacked on piles – and I mean piles – of weight. Taking a seat for the whole set helped explain what might be the reasoning behind this change: clearly someone has become a little lazy. Nonetheless, extra kilo’s and all, Alex has still maintained that beautiful voice he is oh-so famous for. What We Started was the intro to the set, to which Alex played a ukulele to. His voice remains unchanged, still managing to achieve various levels and height. Drifting was next off the bill, followed by Trigger, which received many loud cheers from the small bunch of faithful fans. All instruments paused during Save My Soul, and we were given a pure taste of Alex’s remarkable voice. The set was layered with great guitar riffs, amazing lyricism, and dazzling vocals.

Coming Home had the whole crowd singing along, and from that moment on it was as if everyone in The Zoo had bonded instantly, and an unspoken friendships were formed. Smiles were firmly planted on everyone’s faces. Love x 3 and Slow Trains increased the spellbinding Alex seemed to hold over everyone. It was obvious everyone here tonight were true, loyal fans, making the gig entirely intimate. Aliens was last off the list, and everyone cheered madly for an encore. After a quick break Alex and band reappeared in stage, Alex with ukulele in hand. Amazing was, well, amazing. He played a quirky reggae like version of the song, sounding like an epic fusion of Mungo Jerry’s In The Summertime and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of Over The Rainbow. Just as we all thought he couldn’t end on a better note, he finished on a cover of History Train, an old bluesy song that showed he’s incredible in all genres. The finish was perfectly drawn out, leaving us all so enthralled in his mesmerizing performance.