Looking at the crowd gathered outside Sydney’s Enmore Theatre, it would be difficult to guess what they were here to see. There are all sorts – teenage girls, young men, lesbian couples and middle aged guys still in their work suits. It is the heartfelt piano tunes of one of Australia’s most popular singer/songwriters that has drawn them all together. And it’s not the one who has been busy running around town with ex boy band members and promoting lingerie. No, it’s the edgier, more alternative artist, Missy Higgins.
Inside, Serena Ryder has just hit the stage, adorned in a short black dress, knee high boots and long black hair. Her stage presence reminds me instantaneously of PJ Harvey, she is strong, dark and undeniably sexy.
Missy Higgins befriended Ryder when they were both on the bill for the recent East Coast Blues & Roots Festival. Obviously impressed with the 21 year old Canadian, Missy asked her to be her support act on this tour.
Ryder’s bluesy voice fills the half empty theatre, drawing the attention of those who have bothered to check her out. Her voice is less like PJ and more Janis Joplin. She performs a catchy acoustic set which demonstrates her huge vocal range – man, can this girl sing!
All bums are on seats as our girl of the moment, Missy Higgins, takes to the stage, casually dressed in jeans and a black singlet. Her boyish hair is styled neatly to reveal her pleasant, pixie-like face. She launches into a couple of her acoustic driven songs, including the first she ever wrote All For Believing. Her husky voice is strong and it’s hard to believe that it is coming from the little figure on the stage.
Missy’s big break was when she won Triple J’s 2001 Unearthed competition which resulted in her landing a record deal with Eleven. Whilst most artists would rush to release an album after gaining such exposure, Missy grabbed her backpack and went to Europe for a year. A brave decision for a 19 year old to make, but one which ultimately paid off. A lot of the songs on her debut album The Sound of White are inspired by her travels.
The pace picks up as Missy jumps on piano and is joined on stage by a four piece band. She looks the most comfortable here, on keys. The punters get on their feet as she delves into her more jazz styled songs such as This is How it Goes and the catchy Casualty.
The real gem is when she sings her latest single The Special Two. Missy has compared her song writing to keeping a diary & this track, in particular, makes you feel like she is sharing very personal thoughts with you. She explains that she wrote it at a time after she had done something terrible. She locked herself in her bedroom at her parents house with a bottle or two of red wine and tried to redeem herself. The lyrics tell the rest of the story, she begins
“I’ve hardly been outside for days,
‘cause I don’t feel that I deserve the sunshine’s rays,
The darkness helped until the whisky wore away,
and it was then I realised the conscience never fades.”
Her deep and dark lyrics show that Missy possesses wisdom beyond her years. However, throughout the show it becomes evident that she also likes to goof around and pokes fun at herself several times. Her natural charm along with her Aussie twang make it easy for audiences to relate to her.
The crowd get what they want when she breaks into her number one hit Scar and then she treats us to two encores, the second of which she is joined on stage by Ryder. Watching these 21 and 22 year olds can give someone like me, who is 24 and over the hill, a sudden sense of underachievement. Imagine what these two girls will have achieved in a couple of years. If this is the music they are writing now, what will come with more life experience? I guess we will have to watch this space.
