The Waifs, Mama Kin @ TheForum, Melbourne (16/3/2011)

Sun 20th Mar, 2011 in Gig Reviews

It’s a placid and relaxed Melbourne crowd that saunters into the Forum to catch the tail end of The Waifs Temptation tour. There are lots of receding hairlines and dye jobs, and a generation gap between me and the average punter.

Mama Kin warms up the initially unenthused crowd with her conversational manner and unique brand of self-deprecating humour. Faced with a sober, unmoving sea of faces, Mama Kin jives, sways and hollers the crowd into action, prompting a rowdy sing-along to Beat and Holler. Sporting a shock of hair, tambourine and mesmerizing shake of the hips, Kin succeeds in getting the audience to boogie down to the catchy To My Table.

After a relatively short wait, The Waifs appear on the stage to a rousing reception. Donna Simpson thanks Melbourne for giving them the confidence to be more than a cover band, and there’s certainly no love lost. The Waifs play an extensive set, with a mix of songs from the newly released Temptation and a scattering of much loved tracks from their back catalogue.

The Waifs follow the track listing early, with Vicki Thorn belting out the reflective and melodic Buffalo, following album opener I Learn the Hard Way.

The band surprises by introducing ex-pat anthem London Still so early in their set, but it certainly signals their intentions to mix up their songs. The crowd hits fever pitch when they hear the distinctive pitter patter of the drums, and I can’t help myself from joining in with the sea of voices as The Forum comes to life.

For the next two hours, The Waifs wow the crowd with their chemistry, gentle banter and soaring melodies. Guitarist Josh Cunningham takes to the microphone for Moses and the Lamb and the title track Temptation. The band has said that Josh is now unable to write anything but gospel songs, and although it’s noticeably not the whole crowd’s cup of tea; the intricate guitar, booming double bass and soaring back-up vocals distinctive to The Waifs keeps the crowd swaying and attentive throughout.

The Waifs don’t hold back on the crowd pleasers; with Bridal Train, Lighthouse, SunDirtWater, Gillian and Fisherman’s Daughter all played to an enraptured crowd. Heavily pregnant, Thorn is at times breathless throughout her harmonica solos, but the crowd don’t mind a bit. This is a reunion Melbourne has been looking forward to for too long.

After an un-official encore, The Waifs appear for another one after the continual begging of a raucous crowd, but play only one song. The crowd blissfully sways and shimmies to Take It In, and though 22 songs have been wheeled out, it’s clear nobody wants the set to end. When it does, the crowd hopes they don’t have to wait so long to see them again.