Owen Pallett @ The FamousSpiegeltent, Sydney (19/1/11)

Fri 21st Jan, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Humble, polite applause is what greets the humble, polite Owen Pallett as he walks onto the stage of the Famous Spiegeltent. Having worked meticulously on his analogue looping station for the tours leading up to this one, the arrangements of each song are brought together with ease and confidence.

The fact that Pallett is able to bring out so many different sounds out of just his violin and keyboard is nothing short of unbelievable. Layers of bowed sound recall that of a small orchestra, adding in the unmistakable sound of plucked strings for full effect. Thanks to both his fancy footwork and the wonders of technology, a world of sounds come through the P.A. which are all generated from one person. It’s a refreshing, and quite often remarkable, display of creativity which is increasingly rare to find within live performances.

An octave pedal allows Pallett to play the violin as if it were a double bass, while striking the instrument with the other side of the bow allows for a scattered, screechy background noise that seemingly shouldn’t work but mixes in wonderfully. Throw in some percussion by tapping different parts of it with his fingers and one is simply left to question if there is anything the man cannot do, any noise he cannot make.

Pallett is chatty and in an upbeat mood. He cracks jokes about gay gyms in Sydney and tells the entire back story of Final Fantasy song This Lamb Sells Condos without actually playing it. The latter sprang from an interaction between songs in which a fan called out for it to be played, only to be politely declined. It’s not as though a fan of Pallett’s work could possibly leave a show like this disappointed, however. Starting with a string of early material before working his way into last year’s Heartland, each song brought to attention a different aspect of Pallett’s seemingly endless array of talents. The Arctic Circle and This is the Dream of Win and Regine, for instance, highlight the effortlessly pretty voice of Pallett, filling the Spiegeltent with a resounding clarity.

Other tracks, like the stuttered carousel ride of The Great Elsewhere from Heartland, as well as a cover of Caribou’s Odessa, reflect his ability in the field of transposing compositions for the live environment.

Closing with a stunning rendition of Lewis Takes Off His Shirt, the humble, polite Owen Pallett makes his departure. This time, however, there is simply no place for humble, polite applause. We cheer, whoop, stand up and clap until we’re told there will be no more songs. An inspired set from a truly inventive and original musician, Pallett will surely be remembered as one of the true stars of this year’s Sydney Festival.