Lamplight, Kid Sam, Eva Popov@ The Toff In Town, Melbourne(25/7/09)

Wed 29th Jul, 2009 in Gig Reviews

Melbourne’s Toff In Town is decked out in green streamers and balloons as I enter after a short lifetime of stair climbing. Eva Popov pops onstage – girl and her guitar – and begins to serenade us into the evening. Her first two songs are quite minimal compared to those in the rest of her set. She has a sweet smooth voice, yet as octaves reach higher, she sings as if the words are in a battle to escape her throat.

The songs force a slowing of eyelids across the room and the disco ball that twirls above her head is a visual paradox. Band members settle in with Popov on stage. They are a double bassist, an accordionist and a violinist. Frequent door openings deliver bursts of chatter and music from the bar next door, contrasting against the melancholic melodies of Popov and her band, and the quiet vibe of the room. Three songs in things become a bit more upbeat. A homemade instrument of a roped together plumbing pipe hit with thong-like-objects makes its debut at the Toff – and it’s probably safe to say it’s the only one of its kind.

The set becomes quirkier as it moves along and, at its peak, there are five musicians on stage. The sound warps into that ever-familiar – œstep right up’ circus music. Popov’s music isn’t entirely stimulating and the performer audience barrier is never broken through for me. It is music more suited to a Sunday afternoon… not so much a Saturday night. Music for, perhaps, an older age group than this reviewer, and looking around, that is most of the audience, and they seem to enjoy the set.

A lengthy interval precedes the arrival onstage of Melbourne musician Kieran Ryan, also known as Kid Sam. Fragile electric guitar picking begins the set and a quivering vampire-esque voice sways to the sound of its instrumental accompaniment. The room slowly becomes quiet, reflecting a more sullen, focused array of audience faces. Ryan’s trademark sound is his edging-on-breakable vibrato vocal phrasing of poetic lyrics and ethereal electric tones.

The other half of the act, Kishore Ryan, joins him on stage second song in. Landslide forces the room’s vibe and lights to lift, conjuring up an excited audience whistle. Kishore has makeshift pots and pans drums which fill in the sound, and somehow, with no nod of head or signal to each other, Kid Sam are able to perfectly synchronise quick stops and starts after who knows how many bars of instrumental jam. Dramatic, beaty build-ups in Down To the Cemetery are impressive and remind me of an airplane takeoff and We’re Mostly Made Of Water and Jodie Makes a Fire shows off the very unique sound that Kid Sam has created. Keiran Ryan wraps his lips around his words and bounces along to the beat. Disappointingly, it eventuates that they wont be playing my favourite song off their self-titled debut album Soft, Grey Rain. They have a surprisingly heavy set.

Curtains draw back to reveal a quite crowded stage of musicians, about to deliver a very ear pleasing set. They are Lamplight, and the green decorations are for them – an attempt to create some sort of ‘emerald city’. The singer holds a feather in his top hat, and the whole cabaret-like stage set matches their dramatic, story-telling sound.

Guitarist Mijo Biscan and keyboardist Kirsty Morphett share the vocals, and oh, are their voices sweet! Their opening song features drawn out violin notes, climactic crash symbols and quite intense vocals, immediately drawing the crowd in. Effective, and quite beautiful harmonies build song tension and add to a powerful sound. They are like a cross between Augie March and The Middle East, with a touch of their own.

There’s plenty of humorous in-between song banter and their pleasure and excitement at being there is evident as they play their last and – œbittersweet’ show before jumping into working on their next album. Biscan easily slips between true voice and beautiful falsetto. At some moments I don’t think any of the members have their eyes open; they are obviously feeling the sound they’re emitting, in an unpretentious and cohesive way. Biff Loman has Jeff Buckley sounding moments, and droll violins. The set could be the soundtrack to a powerful musical or film, with diverse chapters that, as a whole, become a satisfying story.

Some songs, like Southern Wall Shadow and Attack the Sun, are more down tempo, while others are stronger, forcing powerful sound into all corners of the room. I am lulled into an heavy eye-lidded state in a Lullaby song. They have really quite perfect harmonies. Trapped Fox is a stand out, and audience heads across the room slowly nod in agreement with the sound. Party poppers handed out to the audience are a finale to an eager countdown during their final song. Lamplight are damn good, and the set ended with a bang! Literally.