Angus + Julia Stone & DannyRoss @ The Vanguard(06/02/2007)

Sat 10th Feb, 2007 in Gig Reviews

Walking in on Newtown’s The Vanguard is to enter another world, another time. The room is drenched in warm glamour – delicious red walls with dim, golden light fills the space. The room houses a mere sixty standing patrons, leading into a sold-out dining area of forty or so people. Lush, earthy aromas of garlic and butter fill the air, patrons sip wine, the air buzzes. There’s just something about the place that makes you smile.

Tonight, in typical fashion, the place is filled to capacity, brimming over with those eager to catch brother-and-sister duo Angus and Julia Stone. It’s clear this is a hot ticket; this is the pair’s first fully-blown tour, and Sydneysiders are not about to pass up a chance to attend such an intimate show.

Opening up for the night, Singer-guitarist Danny Ross looks like a peasant surfer. Bedecked in breezy white shirt and board-shorts, his country-boy charm immediately puts the crowd at ease, his tunes finding a level with the relaxed atmosphere. His simple, sweet picking-style and heartfelt vocals provide the perfect setting for after-dinner drinks. I could see this guy at home on a beach, composing lyrics underneath a palm-tree.

Beneath the golden stars that crown the stage, Angus and Julia Stone are greeted by warm applause and coffee-waft. They have a warm, disarming presence on-stage, immediately charming the crowd with their shy humour and honest lyrical style. Their words often take on a child-like tone; simplistic and enchanting, even with a dash of humour here and there to temper what Ms. Stone calls – with a smile – their ‘night of depression’. Julia’s vocals are particularly intriguing, full of delicate spider-webs, framed in gold by Angus’ melodic guitar. They are joined by a double-bass player and drummer for half of their set, helping to provide the extra oomph needed for favourites Private Lawns and the hypnotic Paper Aeroplane. The duo were also keen to debut a couple of brand-new tracks. However, I feel that they are at their most magnetic when they are alone onstage, as in the transcendent All of Me.

Despite their apparent innocence, the pair plays off the rapt audience’ vibe with easy skill. It was a remarkable contrast to their appearance at The Big Day Out – the get-in-get-out nature of the festival didn’t fit their style, which is all about drawing you in and making you forget about everything else. And so the crowds passed them by, daylight and bad beer robbing the Stones of their melancholy tone. Theirs is a red wine kind of music. I love them at The Vanguard – I love them so much I hope they never play anything larger than the Enmore Theatre. Here’s hoping.

Check out the pics from the gig here