Kicking off the night with victories for the Theatre Royal Castlemaine
and the Corner Hotel in the Best Regional Venue and Best Venue categories, it’s
hard to recall a better host for anything ever than footy-loving soul man Chris
Gill.
Local combo Big Scary regale us with textured cuts from their Best Album
nominee Not Art. Those not caught up
in chat and schmoozing are seduced by their intriguing, layered take on trip-hop
flavoured psych rock.
Back to the awards and Music Victoria’s ever-dapper Bek Duke reads a
telegram from Aunty Meredith, accepting the Best Festival award. Best Regional Band
goes to Stonefield and the Drones take Best Live Band, both wresting the award
from stiff competition. While Vince Peach spins American soul cuts, the night
begins to build toward the induction of Renee Geyer into the Hall of Fame. Fellow inductee Michael Gudinski is celebrated in a video outlining the
long success of Mushroom Records, and similarly accepts via video.
The EG All Stars and Saskwatch Horns back stabs at soul songs from some
of the city’s most noted singers. Kylie Audlist and Lance Ferguson open with
Renee Geyer’s Stares and Whispers,
Ella Thompson owns Geyer’s Be There in
the Morning before Linda Bull and Daniel Merriweather stun with their takes
on Paul Kelly’s Sure Got Me (Where You
Want Me) and Cold Chisel’s Four Walls
respectively. 60s pop hit Simon Says will
never be the same now Dan Sultan has had his way with it, and Remi,
representing the hip-hop soul connection, reminds us where much of Melbourne’s
creativity now lies.
The final awards given see Best Male and Best Album go to Paul Kelly, the
Drones collect a second for Best Band, Adalita take Best Female and Vance Joy’s
Riptide a surprise but deserving Best
Song.
From hear on out, the night is about one woman. A tribute video
featuring Bonnie Raitt, one time Beach Boy Ricky Fataar, Ella Thompson and Gudinski
highlights Geyer’s easy move between styles and wide influence. Inducting her
into the Hall of Fame, Minister for the Arts Heidi Victoria calls for a ‘bit of
shush’ to read a quote from Geyer’s father: ‘All modern music is shit. But my
daughter’s shit is the best’.
Geyer and her 9-piece backing band are on stunning form. Combining her
pop hits with soul classics (and Paul Kelly’s phenomenal Difficult Woman) we are left in no doubt as to what she was born to
do, and how lucky we are to see her do it. Her voice, as Gill pointed out
earlier, is only getting better. Closing with her 80s hit Say I Love You and the ever-stunning It’s a Man’s World, Geyer brings out Dan Sultan to duet on A Change is Gonna Come. Introducing him
as ‘our Elvis Presley’ it’s hard not to see the torch of soul-powered rock
legend not be passed from one to another, but shared and redoubled, ending a
killer night.
No comments:
Post a Comment