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The Jezabels @ The Forum, Melbourne
(30/10/2011)
I remember the first time I saw The Jezabels perform. Easing into the Corner Hotel’s small stage, they were confidently winning over the crowd before Bluejuice on their Head of the Hawk tour. Fast forward two years later and they are performing there third sold out show at the legendary Forum in Melbourne, something not many bands can claim to have achieved so early into a career.
As the opening bars to the haunting ‘Prisoner’ ring out, The Jezabels shroud themselves behind a curtain as their silhouettes appear, teasing the audience and only making anticipation higher. The shroud drops and they launch into lead single and radio darling ‘Endless Summer.’ It was unmistakable all throughout the night that they were overwhelmed by the support and devotion of so many of their fans.
Traversing through a set that intermixed EP and LP material, the set highlights came with ‘Mace Spray’ and ‘City Girl.’ It was seemingly impossible to fault Hayley Mary’s vocals; her falsetto voice gives the music life and is surely the spirit behind The Jezabels music.
‘A Little Piece’ proved this beautifully, with Hayley’s voice moving through the Forum in ways I’ve not heard before. The juxtaposition of the band and the venue could not have been more perfect, a statement that was only firmly grounded with EP track ‘Hurt Me,’ where Heather Shannon truly shone with the trademark piano chords. The subtlety of Shannon's performance is a one of the deep underlying gems in The Jezabels live show. While not a big personality on stage, Shannon's artistic merit and musical gift turns heads and keeps those who watch her play entranced.
An unscheduled two-part encore saw the premier of a currently untitled song, followed by a communication breakdown between Sam Lockwood and the rest of the band. Originally intending to end the night with the special performance of new material, the band returned to the stage for a second and final encore of ‘Disco Biscuit Love,’ kicked off by drummer Nik Kaloper, allowing for Hayley to have one last bout of energy and fun as she begins commanding the stage and leaving the crowd breathless.
This was truly one of those rare, breathtaking and above all flawless performances that comes along once in a blue moon. With the world at their feet and the sky the limit, The Jezabels are a bright start on the Australian music landscape that won't be burning out anytime soon.
Luke Sutton
As the opening bars to the haunting ‘Prisoner’ ring out, The Jezabels shroud themselves behind a curtain as their silhouettes appear, teasing the audience and only making anticipation higher. The shroud drops and they launch into lead single and radio darling ‘Endless Summer.’ It was unmistakable all throughout the night that they were overwhelmed by the support and devotion of so many of their fans.
Traversing through a set that intermixed EP and LP material, the set highlights came with ‘Mace Spray’ and ‘City Girl.’ It was seemingly impossible to fault Hayley Mary’s vocals; her falsetto voice gives the music life and is surely the spirit behind The Jezabels music.
‘A Little Piece’ proved this beautifully, with Hayley’s voice moving through the Forum in ways I’ve not heard before. The juxtaposition of the band and the venue could not have been more perfect, a statement that was only firmly grounded with EP track ‘Hurt Me,’ where Heather Shannon truly shone with the trademark piano chords. The subtlety of Shannon's performance is a one of the deep underlying gems in The Jezabels live show. While not a big personality on stage, Shannon's artistic merit and musical gift turns heads and keeps those who watch her play entranced.
An unscheduled two-part encore saw the premier of a currently untitled song, followed by a communication breakdown between Sam Lockwood and the rest of the band. Originally intending to end the night with the special performance of new material, the band returned to the stage for a second and final encore of ‘Disco Biscuit Love,’ kicked off by drummer Nik Kaloper, allowing for Hayley to have one last bout of energy and fun as she begins commanding the stage and leaving the crowd breathless.
This was truly one of those rare, breathtaking and above all flawless performances that comes along once in a blue moon. With the world at their feet and the sky the limit, The Jezabels are a bright start on the Australian music landscape that won't be burning out anytime soon.
Luke Sutton