Matt Walters, Iluka @ EmpressHotel, Melbourne (23/11/12)

Sun 27th Nov, 2011 in Gig Reviews

A relaxed vibe at The Empress Hotel on this Wednesday night ensured that this gig was both intimate and cosy, which is to say that the turnout was small but this is not always a bad thing. Sydney-sider Nikki Thorburn recently adopted the stage name Iluka, which has its own backstory that relates to a family heirloom handed down through generations.

Thorburn is an old soul in a young body, with a maturity in both her sound and on stage nuances well beyond her twenty years, testament to the fact she has been immersed in music for most of her life. The studio sound as heard on online videos translates very well to the live stage, which is further aided by cool melodies played on a guitar affectionately named ‘Dusty’. The set is kicked off with songs such as The Fools and Delores and The Business Man.

Iluka related a story of her grandma in the 1950s prior to introducing a song called Dear Mr Earl, a sweet sounding song that is lullaby-like and pacifyingly satisfying. Iluka then plays a songed off her first EP with the chorus emoting “Don’t you worry baby, just sit tight my lady, don’t cry coz they’re taking it back yeh they’re making it back…they’re making it back to the place where it all began” making for a resounding of splendid grace and ease on To The Place. Next up, she told how her dad encouraged her to write a rock song, with his assertion that “You’re not a rock star until you write a rock song” which is an agreeable sentiment, this one is called 12th July. She then played the song that this nationwide tour is named after, Eyes Closed is a foray of finger pickin’ goodness and brimming with light-hearted vibes.

A new song that came about when she was jamming with her drummer one day has since been titled Painted Black, a song with a dark name but turned out to be an upbeat and happy song, certainly laced with light and elation, being both a wonderfully dancey and catchy track. Up next is Brave Like A Lion to round out the set as Nikki exuded a cool and calm onstage demeanour.

Matt Walters took the stage with his sometimes melancholic and consistently emotive tunes, he is like a cross between Epicure’s Juan Alban and Lior. First up he sang the lyrics “everybody says that people change” from the song Echo, playing with the stance not unlike a folk John Mayer while bringing a charm all of his own.

The performance was nothing short of brilliant, with a light glow under the red and yellow xmas-like lights. Angel Hair is played after relating anecdotes regarding a friend’s band in Austin Texas named The Dearest. Matt comments on this next song he “wrote about a good friend who moved to be an artist”, a song called Sleeping In New York. Walters lived in New York for some time also, as he comments that he can “relate to how New York can be a lonely place to be, ironically”.

Next up was Magdalena, played after some comical audience banter referring to a guy named Elliot and his blind date. The set goes on to include a song inspired by reading lots of Dantes’ Inferno, a song called St. Peters Gate which is fantastically emotive. Another quality song called Perspective is played and further on a surprise Leonard Cohen cover, One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong. Shortly thereafter, Walter’s Empress residency comes to an end as he departs for the States once again, branching out and spreading his wings to a larger audience, while Iluka prepares to depart for the Byron Bay leg of her tour.