Jonneine Zapata @ AnnandaleHotel, Sydney (8/10/10)

Mon 11th Oct, 2010 in Gig Reviews

An ashen faced Rule brother greeted Annandale arrivals with the precautionary news that Jonneine Zapata wasn’t feeling well and may not be performing tonight.

The room was filled with the distinctive voice of Loene Carmen with just a sparsely-strummed acoustic for accompaniment. Her tales touch on raw elements – Flames Vs Lightning and raw emotions in the haunting Nashville High provided a fitting soundtrack to the rising air of uncertainty in the room. The Holy Soul also ploughed on ahead regardless, their roughshod rock and rural-grit-filled songs providing a raucous guitar-driven distraction to the drama unfolding backstage.

With the crowd in a quandary, Zapata’s band dutifully set up on stage, the lady herself appeared and offered her sincere apologies in a barely audible whisp of noise, saying “she felt like she should at least do something.” A further warning of “God bless you all for there are demons in all of us” was then the last words that passed Zapata’s lips as the band launched into song, while she was left to stand and mouth the words. A siren with no sound. It was an intriguing set of circumstances, restlessness reigned in some, as their expectations of entertainment seemed scorned, but then after an unsettling few moments, the crowd seemed to embrace the music and mime wholeheartedly and pressed forward as one, hoping to catch even the slightest hint of sound to pass through that ravaged throat.

Zapata’s presence is such a commanding one though that the audience were still drawn to her imposing presence, even lacking her usual seamy and striking vocals. Her wilting glare, lithe movements and suggestively trailing fingers expressing the lyrics that couldn’t be sung. The unsubtly sordid refrain of “you’re good looking, I’m good looking, what are we going to do” still provocatively potent, even while just soundlessly mouthed.

The band too – comprising four disparate guys of various nationalities and styles – seemed to forge together as one and soared above their mere supporting role to grow into a singular incendiary instrumental force. Songs growing organically as the improvised noise flourished despite the nourishment of the words. Zapata was at times left just to recline seductively on the stage while the music unfolded around her.

We did get blessed with one last audible announcement; a cheekily inappropriate comment “This is the closest I’ve come to a microphone without actually singing in it. Sometimes it’s nice to get so close to things and not actually use them”. Ahem. While some may have left lamenting the lost lyrics of a truly tantalising songwriter, those that remained at least got to experience some sonic spontaneity served alongside their non-singing seductress, and only wonder what if and hope she returns soon.