As the Toff curtain draws back, Holly Throsby cuts a folky figure underneath the stage lights. A coy smile already spread across her face, she begins the cheeky banter that always shows her an affable character and forges a fast connection with her audience. Of course we are not simply here to share a beer with Holly and in seconds we are bathed in the pretty little melodies she plucks from her guitar.

She opens with To Begin With from her third album A Loud Call and we are immediately struck by the sweet poetry of her song writing, – œwe’re only a shell in the end and only an egg to begin with’. Her lyrics are sublime, like profound little observations scribbled on sheets of perfumed paper.

So what makes her stand out from the mob of talented singer-songwriters playing the minstrel up and down our shores? It’s partly the pure honesty with which she performs, partly the exquisite and evocative lyrics and partly the incredible diversity in her curious vocals. One moment she is sending out butterflies of euphony, the next there is such a dark rasp in her delivery she could pull off a Tom Waits cover. At times she half speaks her songs; so breezy and breathy, they wash over you. At times it feels like she is whispering you secrets and it is this that makes a Holly Throsby set so incredibly intimate.

Three songs into the set Holly moves to the piano and Bree Van Reyk from the Hello Tigers joins her on stage, adding the sweet twinkling of a glockenspiel. They move into Under The Town, from her second album of the same name and the harmony of the women’s vocals is stunning. Bree picks up an accordion for On Longing and as Holly croons of love and regret, the melancholy melody brings the tune to a place fragile and vulnerable, yet full of hope. It is a beautiful set highlight. Now I Love Someone is also a stand out.

Next she is joined on stage by Paul Kelly’s nephew, respected singer-songwriter, Dan Kelly. They sing a call and response style duet, Would You from the third album. Dan’s voice has a rich and dreamy quality and perfectly compliments Holly’s but the song is fairly unremarkable. Perhaps its intended simplicity lets the song down when it is played live amongst the other more impressive numbers.

Holly’s charisma continues to delight the crowd as she regales us with a tale about racing her ticket sales against the sky rocketing swine flu cases. She tells us that, sadly, she lost in the end, and giggles and cheering throughout the crowd reveal they are well and truly charmed by this Sydney songstress.

She finishes the set with Making A Fire, the crowd enthusiastically singing along and yelling back the required – œno!’ that features in the lyrics at the song’s beginning. Returning for an encore we are treated to a New Buffalo cover It All Comes Down, a number as lyrically impressive as Holly’s own. The final song of the evening is an oldie, We’re Good People But Why Don’t We Show It? It’s a fitting ending to a completely enchanting evening with Miss Throsby.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE SHOW HERE