Way to Blue - The Songs ofNick Drake @ Sydney OperaHouse (11/11/11)

Mon 14th Nov, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Before Nick Drake left us, he and producer Joe Boyd recorded three modest albums that at the time only sold around 15000 copies (collectively), and given his reluctance to perform live, he slipped away before anyone realised he was there. During his short career he left an exquisite bruise on the landscape of folk music, and like all bruises it only bloomed after the fact.

Kate Bush, Robert Smith, Lou Barlow and Peter Buck are just some of the musicians that share an appreciation of his work and the romantic notion of the lonely poet can trace its modern origins right back to this lanky boy from the western midlands. Overwhelming anonymity hung over his work like so much rain, until finally the clouds broke and his music found an audience. It seems fitting to have a songwriter so famous for his solitary nature posthumously celebrated by so many artists in one of the most famous concert spaces in the world.

Joe Boyd was an integral part of breaking open the folk resurgence of England during the 60s (Incredible String Band, John Martyn, the UFO Club), and he’s been showcasing this particular tribute to his young protégé since 2009. The original line-up included Beth Orton and Martha Wainright, and although the Australian shows didn’t boast names as big as this, the quality of the performers was given just as much credence.

Surreal English jangle pop musician Robyn Hitchcock opened with Parasite from Pink Moon. Hitchcock’s slightly nasally delivery and angular stance was initially a little off putting. He seemed to be grappling with the graceful arrangement behind him but turned the struggle into positive tension, giving the song energy. A polite applause ushered Green Gartside on to play Fruit Tree, and whilst it was nice (it’s a beautiful song, hard to ignore that) his voice never found the right tone for Drake’s composition.

It wasn’t until Irish singer Lisa Hannigan performed Chime of the City Clock that the audience lit up. Lisa’s lovely voice could reach the clean high notes easily and dipped neatly downwards like a swallow for the lower sections, the velvety, breathy quality of her voice really sounding wonderful. The song was a great number for the string section as well; it’s got a great chorus of cascading chords that sounded amazing in the main hall.

Krystal Warren was an excellent addition, with a voice that crossed several octaves and introduced Soul into the equation. The range and feeling she achieved was on its own for the entire performance, offering something completely different to the rest of the artists. Even better was the fact that she was smartly matched with some great rhythm and blues numbers like Time Has Told Me.

It was Vashti Bunyan however, that matched Nick’s enigmatic magnetism closest. Now close to 60, her musical career endured a hiatus of almost 30 years, achieving cult status when her work was finally re-released. She seemed like a sort of ghost, nervously shuffling onto the stage and almost whispering the lyrics to Which Will. Later she drifted on and described how Nick’s mother Molly Drake had been a strong influence on her son and even recorded herself on her piano occasionally. Vashti performed an incredibly moving version of I Remember, You Remember, a quiet lullaby that fondly describes a remembered past shared between mother and son that playfully switches perspectives depending on its subjects. The final line didn’t leave a dry eye in the house.

Other performers included Melbourne duo Luluc, who brought an austerity to their interpretations. British born Neil MacColl’s version of Northern Sky felt so comfortable and easy he might’ve wrote it himself, while Scott Matthew’s sombre take on the baroque ballad Day Is Done was rich and nuanced.

Way to Blue was a wonderfully mature and thoughtful retrospective of Drake’s work, not bothering with glossy reproductions or nostalgic embellishment. The evening felt true to the tone and intention of his records and it speaks as highly for the performers as it does to the maturity and complexity of his original songs. There’s a deep-set melancholy within the music that artists have reacted to over the decades, drawn to the emotion that he seemed to swim in so freely, and eventually drowned in. Despite this sadness, it’s important to remember that tonight was a celebration first and foremost. If Nick had seen it, he might have even smiled.