Mia Dyson, Chris Brady,Blackwater Fever @ The Zoo,Brisbane, 30/06/2007

Tue 10th Jul, 2007 in Gig Reviews

Undeterred by a tiny early-evening crowd of no more than 30, grotty blues outfit Blackwater Fever hook their instruments directly into the brain’s most primal pleasure centres as they churn out a solid set of sleazy guitar riffs and rhythmic thumping toms coupled with deep, gravelly vocals that evoke Tom Waits at times.

Be-spectacled guitarist Andrew Walter and drummer Shane Hicks conjure a storm of noise that would put many four-piece units to shame as they showcase several songs from their EP Abused Blues and a bunch of new tunes. Early on, they evoke gunslinger ballads of yore and occasionally drop hints of echoing surf rock, but by and large the EP title sums their grimy style perfectly.

Chris Brady opens with low-key gentle tunes characterised by mellow, yearning vocals and guitar harmonies that float along on a stream of bongo-laden percussion. The tempo accelerates when his band strikes up Mexican Eyes, though, and the fast-growing crowd laps up the staccato Spanish beats. Corruption, from Brady’s debut album, follows, slow to begin, but peaking in a wondrous crescendo of percussion and haunting, eastern-tinged guitars. Brady finally rounds out the set with a brash and funky rendition of the Doors-like Satellite, leaving the punters well-warmed for the main act.

Mia Dyson has a new album in the works, and tonight proves not the least bit hesitant in using the audience as guinea pigs. Not that, as the set unfolds, the crowd minds in the slightest. Mia’s shiver-inducing smoky vocals are as front and centre as ever, but the lush blues arrangements seem to offer a more filled-out sound than material from Parking Lots and Cold Water. Still, every new song is received with unabashed enthusiasm from a clearly rapt crowd. Strong use of slide guitar pushes The Driver toward country territory, the harmonica makes an appearance for Heavy, and the keyboards get a rare opportunity to peek through the guitar-heavy mix on Never Felt Young. The strength of the songs, coupled with the energy the band throws into the performance bodes well for when Struck Down is released later this year.

In between, old nuggets such as Parking Lots, Roll On and Choose are delivered with grit, panache and a jammy style that is a delight to watch. But the best moments come when – as Mia describes it – they’re ‘faffing about’ mid set as though it’s just them in the band room together. And just to make sure we all get our money’s worth Mia throws in a superb cover of Loretta Lynn and Jack White’s Portland, Oregon right near the end.