Debra Gibson & The RisingLotus @ The Promethean,Adelaide, (10/07/11)

Wed 13th Jul, 2011 in Gig Reviews

At the end of a mostly miserable weekend Debra Gibson & The Rising Lotus bravely took to the stage at Adelaide’s Promethean to defy the elements and turn up the heat. Out to celebrate the launch of the group’s debut album, Spread Your Wings, those willing to venture out on a particularly chilly Sunday evening were rewarded with a lively blast through the entire album, plus a few new tracks for good measure.

To get things going the audience was treated to an incredibly polished ‘warm up’ jam from a slightly truncated version of the band. It was an impressive run through a ‘few standards’ as the lads warmed themselves and the audience up with some funky and lively jazz. Saxophonist Ralphe Franke was outstanding as he showcased the chops that have seen him perform with Sting and BB King. Making the most of the Promethean’s highly regarded acoustics, each of the guys grabbed a moment in the spotlight and confirmed that everything was in order in the instrumentation department.

The warm up was followed by the addition of a couple of guitars and then the arrival of Debra Gibson, who was just starting to invite us into the laboratory of her mind when a technical snafu brought things to an unexpected halt. Where others might have crumbled, the Rising Lotus calmly regrouped and jumped right back into it, quickly turning stumble into triumph. Gibson then belted out her invitation with authority, rising above the rumblings of the Lotus with the kind of power that Grace Slick used to unleash to keep the Jefferson Airplane aloft.

Songs were introduced with brief insights into the thoughts and events that inspired them, with an emphasis on positive thoughts and actions. With several songs featuring Tibetan themes, the band explored a fascinating range of genres, covering considerable musical territory. Whether it was a burst of blazing fretwork from Matt Williams, the profound emphasis of a rat-a-tat-tat from drummer Jamie Jones or electronic dashes from keyboardist Rod Ennis, there was always something going on that was worth pointing your ears at.

Things really started to take off when a few members of the audience jumped up for a dance. Others inspired to join them were soon rewarded with one of the evening’s absolute highlights, a track that may or may not have been called Dig Deeper. Having dabbled with a bit of funk the band let their funk flag fly and it was a glorious thing to behold, creating a revivalist feel that landed somewhere between the sassy power and soul of Aretha Franklin, and the funky idealistic optimism of Sly and The Family Stone. Rhythm guitarist Daniel Gibson even briefly gave the microphone a workout to demonstrate some of his own gruff vocal power.

It was a captivating show that showcased an outfit readying itself for take off. The Lotus does indeed appear to be rising.