Kim Churchill, Justin Carterand Ashleigh Mannix @ HolyGrail, Canberra (10/06/2010)

Mon 14th Jun, 2010 in Gig Reviews

The Holy Grail has been host to a few tip-top musical acts this year, and Thursday night showed off yet another up and comer in the form of Merimbula surfie Kim Churchill. Easy listening was the theme of the night.

Packed from the get go, the Holy Grail’s set up had many people confused, with the room split down the middle to provide half seating, half standing. It made it difficult for those who came late to find space to stand without blocking the view of anyone sitting down.

Canberra local Ashleigh Mannix started the night off with her beautiful set. Constantly on festival lineups and playing the local venues, Mannix’s folksy tunes and powerful voice are fast becoming well-known amongst the vibrant music community. Blending raw emotions with memorable lyrics, Mannix entertained the crowd and set the night up wonderfully.

Next up, Justin Carter and his mate Johnny jumped on stage.
Reminiscent of early John Butler Trio and more recent Ash Grunwald, Carter blended bluesy guitar with hot drumming, perfectly setting the scene for the upcoming headline act.

As with all independent acts, the merch stand received a big plug and soon enough there were printed singlets and copies of EP’s floating around.

At one stage, Carter encouraged the crowd to let loose and use the dance floor, which two inebriated older gentlemen took very much to heart. Arms flailing, and at time synchronised moves, entertained both crowd and stage act.

In town promoting his debut album With Sword and Shield, headliner Kim Churchill eventually jumped up on stage and the crowd went off.
One man band Churchill is a rare breed of musician, who not only manages to play his instruments well, but plays several AT THE SAME TIME! Dressed in a tie-dyed singlet and wearing what looked like a feed bag (that I found out later was actually a harmonica), Churchill fit the stereotypical rootsy-surfie look perfectly. But, past all that hair and tan was the skill and voice of someone far older and learned.

With a voice that sounds remarkably like James Blunt (shock horror!), Churchill is far from that whiney pop sound. Minimalist sounds blend with a raw, powerful voice to produce a blend of genre’s guaranteed to get your foot tapping.

At one point Churchill told the crowd about how good it was to be in Canberra again, considering he was born and raised here until his family moved to the coast before he started school.

Unfortunately the sound guy was unkind to Churchill, being too loud and cutting sick with so much reverb it was annoying. However, despite the technical problems, Churchill entertained Canberra with his blend of roots/blues/world music and is sure to make a name for himself in years to come.