Isobel Campbell and MarkLanegan, Red Ghost @ TheFactory Theatre, Sydney(29/07/11)

Sun 31st Jul, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan were a surprising pairing for to a lot of people when they appeared in 2006 with their Mercury Prize nominated debut, _ Ballad of the Broken Seas_. Three albums in they are bringing their dual act to a close and embarking on one final tour, including a stop at Sydney’s Factory Theatre.

Sydney local Rosa Agostino, better known as Red Ghost, had the job of warming up the still filling room. Her low key indie balladry was well suited to the night and she didn’t have trouble winning over the early birds at the front of the stage. Her set was lacking a little in dynamics, her slowly picked torch songs losing a little of their charm after the half hour mark and it was a welcome change when she jumped on the piano for her final number, something she had only played in her brief intro.

Rosa was joined by a young guitarist who’s additional instrumentation was a boost to the her sound, and despite some timing issues, their combination helped to fill out the notoriously echoey room. Red Ghost may not have perfected her act in a live setting yet, but she certainly has some good, verging on great songs and if she branches out her sound she will certainly find her star rising.

Backed by a four piece band, Isobel and Mark take their positions onstage where they remain stationed for almost the entirety of the night. Despite the many Sinatra/Hazelwood comparisons for their records there are no coy looks or schmaltzy flirting between the two singers, they are both packing 1000 yard stares as they begin their set with a spartan rendition of We Die and See Beauty Reign.

While the band really kick in with You Won’t Let Me Down Again, the night is certainly a subdued affair, with Campbell’s twee vocals and Lanegan’s husky drawl the true stars. Isobel’s whispy voice was often lost in the mix, especially when Mark wasn’t providing a deep contrast to help her stand out, while the Factory theatre certainly lived up to its notorious live sound reputation, with biting keys at cringe-worthy levels and trouble with a pre-recorded loop that included front of house sound completely dropping out during Honey Child, What Can I Do. These issues were all handled with grace on stage, but seemed to wear thin the more restless members of the audience.

Allegiances to each side of the duo were made fairly obvious during the set when they were each given their own spotlight. Mark’s rendition of The Circus is Leaving Town was met with swaying reverence while Isobel’s turn on Saturday’s Gone seemed to be an excuse for most to head to the bar, with audible cries of “bring Mark back” taking away from her performance. With a few missed cues and her sometimes lost vocals, Campbell wasn’t winning many new fans; her attempt at crowd banter was shot down by undeserved heckling and her efforts on a mixed bag of percussion and beautiful cello playing were left mostly unappreciated.

However, these outsider incidences aren’t apt reflections of the performance; with the aid of their tight support band the couple smoulder on Come on Over (Turn Me On) and give a chilling performance of Back Burner, their vocals twining together, recreating the magic of their contrasting voices that they captured so successfully on record. Their encore of Hank Williams’ Ramblin’ Man certainly left a final statement of their power together, with Lanegan powering through the lead vocal as Campbell decorates it with her hushed melodies.

Despite their best efforts, Sydney’s last night with Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan was sadly marred by technical issues and hostile elements of the crowd who seemed to expect a Lanegan solo show. The pair carried on regardless, giving a performance that was at its best moving and seemingly effortless, their unique voices not lost on everyone in attendance.