The Street Theatre
18, 19 March 2015
Reviewed by Samara Purnell
Jack and Pat Pierce
Original image
Pat and Jack Pierce
Original image
Today, Jack
and Pat Pierce, known collectively as Pierce Brothers, announced a record deal
with Warner Music. They will belt out a few headline gigs in Australia before
they head to Europe to play the PinkPop festival alongside performers including
Sam Smith and George Ezra.
Last night
however, Pierce Brothers opened for Dan Sultan at The Street, in his “Dirty
Ground” tour.
The boys’
infectious blend of folk-pop music was delivered in a
“more-than-slightly-hectic” performance.
During the
set, Jack played everything from the drums, guitar and tambourine to The Street
Theatre railing. Then he pulled out his didgeridoo, delighting the audience as
he played it, whilst simultaneously holding the mouth organ for his guitar-strumming brother to play.
Their more
mellow songs including “Empty Canvas” were reminiscent of Joshua Radin’s sound
and included well balanced, sweet harmonies. Other songs brought to mind Simon
and Garfunkel’s “Cecelia” whilst overall there is an undeniable Mumford and
Sons vibe to Pierce Brothers.
Despite the
pronouncement before a couple of songs that “This one is REALLY miserable”, the long-haired lads
invariably worked back up to a toe-tapping, hand-clapping hoe-down.
“Tallest Teepee in Town”, “Golden Times” and “It’s My
Fault” were perfect examples of why these guys need to be experienced in a tent
– so you can dance around in the dust wearing your finest folk hat.
The set was rounded out with the beautiful song “Flying
Home” and “Genevieve”, written for their sister.
Some of the
lyrics were difficult to pick up, unfortunately, but Pierce Brothers is an
impressive duo. It won’t be the vocals alone that stay with you, but the “Woo!”-
ing, the hair flicking and the undeniably fun and contagious rhythms.
*****
DAN SULTAN cut
an imposing figure as he walked onto the dark stage.
The solo
performance of his “Dirty Ground” EP meant songs were delivered raw, sparsely
and intimately, just Dan and his electric guitar and keyboard.
Dan has a strong
and beautiful voice and he connected
with his audience in this setting. “Musicians have the only profession where having
“WOO!!!” yelled at you when you ask “How are you?” is acceptable”, he notes.
Dan’s quirky
stories kept the audience chuckling. And while there
remained a sense of a slightly shy, awkward, young man, Dan was not afraid to
let us in on the darker periods in his life, during which time he wrote “Man on
TV”, about seeing his younger self on TV one night. “The good passes, the bad
passes, you just have to see it out”, he said, before singing it.
Dan collaborated
with Paul Kelly to write “On the Leffy” (as it’s written, although inspired by
Dublin’s Liffey River) about missing home and family. And with another Paul, of
the Dempsey variety, to write “Mountaintop”.
With a funny
little story about a grumpy man in some terry-toweling pants, Dan immediately
launches into “Nyul Nyul Girl”, a beautiful lullaby from the “Bran Nue Day”
Soundtrack, about a father’s love for his daughter. It’s moments like this you
realise Dan can take you from laughter to goosebumps in about 4.5 seconds. His
dreamy vocals soared over the pretty melody, played on keyboard, in the
melancholic “Gullible Few”.
Be it a gentle
love song, such as the simple, beautiful “Nobody Knows” from his
Blackbird LP or the tough “Crazy” about domestic violence, from songs about growing
up in Fitzroy to “Kimberley Calling”, Dan entertains and impresses with a warm
modesty, a husky growl or an up-tempo rock-out.
Letting loose
with “Rattlesnake” and “Same Man”, on guitar, Dan rocked out his finale, informing
us that he’d somehow managed to do an extra-long set tonight. And we were thankful
for it.
