Ash Grunwald, The Grains,Genevieve Chadwick @ ANU Bar,Canberra (11/8/11)

Sun 14th Aug, 2011 in Gig Reviews

A relaxed Thursday evening at ANU Bar saw Ash Grunwald play to small but vocal and energetic crowd, bringing a slew of acts with him that signalled the impending demise of another winter season with sounds that scream of summer, sand and the ocean.

Opening the night was Genevieve Chadwick, who cast a solitary presence amongst a cluttered stage. Armed with only a guitar and stomp box which gave a driving pulse and strong sense of gravitas, Chadwick impressed those who arrived early and decorated the floor before her with a delightful stage persona that made an already brilliant performance all the more special. Sultry vocals that coloured Chadwick’s poignant guitar playing crafted an entertaining set that unfortunately wrapped up all too soon.

Blues and roots outfit The Grains followed shortly after, weaving an interesting sound that the Byron Bay quintet aptly define as psychedelic roots; the gentle strumming of acoustic guitar with waves of over-driven Hendrix inspired electric leads giving a unique and easily accessible sound. Strong rhythm courtesy of succinct yet undoubtedly groove-laden bass guitar and drums got the body moving for a few, the crowd in general showing strong support. Reverb-laden vocals and poetic lyricism left The Grains’ set a stirring success.

Games of pool were abandoned and the bar vacated for the night’s main attraction in Ash Grunwald. The punters gathered in close at the front of the stage, giving a warm welcome to Grunwald and his accompanying performers, who instantly saturated the venue in a cheerful and infectiously up-beat vibe. Wasting no time, Grunwald, perched in the centre of the stage, programmed a quintessential blues rhythm with a few taps on a fancy touch screen thingy, and with a trademark grin deftly wrangled out searing hot blues licks, one after the other from a gorgeous sunburst Les Paul, to the strong yelps and cheers from his audience. Fantastic support from the backing band, employing pots, pans, djembe drums and a car door, created an intricate and sonically diverse palette that only accentuated Grunwald’s moving cries that immediately transport one to the Mississippi Delta.

At the end of night, Ash Grunwald left everyone in the room well fed and content, optimistic in the knowledge that the warmer months will soon be here.