Metro Theatre Oct 7th 2008

I went along to this show curious to see what form she would present her songs in.  Real Life and To Survive both tread soulful, subdued and delicate paths so I was unsure whether we would get a piano in the spotlight or a wider band performance.  Having seen Joan previously at the Leonard Cohen tribute and as part of Antony’s string section at the Sydney Festival, I was also a little apprehensive of her voice in a live situation.  From the opening song when she bounced on stage in a white jumpsuit circa Princess Leia it was clear that she was up to the challenge and more than comfortable in the scenery of her own songs.

Playing with just a bassist and drummer (Parker Kindred, ex Jeff Buckley) the trio inhabited the songs with a jazzy groove and some uber-restrained strains of funk, especially on the newer songs from To Survive.  Switching between keys and guitar, Joan showed she could silence the Metro, especially on solo tracks like Real Life and To Be Lonely which were hauntingly beautiful.  Vocally the three of them didn’t quite gel on the vocal harmonies, often holding back when they should have opened up.

One highlight in the latter part of her set was a cover of Hendrix’s Fire, more a smoldering ember threatening to burst into flame with its slow and sultry PJ Harvey feel.  Especially when she delivered the line, “move over rover, it’s time for Joanie to take over”.

It was great to hear Joan announce that after the gig she would be at the merch stand to meet and chat to fans which would have tripled t-shirt sales and fulfilled a few (fan)tasises.

All in all a great show, slightly lacking a cohesive band performance but none the less one that confirmed Joan Wasser’s place near the top of the current crop of female singer songwriters (Jolie Holland, Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams, PJ Harvey etc).

by Chris Familton.