Sons and Daughters - Space Theatre, Adelaide
10th January 2012
Words: Rob Lyon
Words: Rob Lyon
Sessions! Live at the Space is a great concept featuring artists who more than likely normally fly over Adelaide from Perth on their way to the East Coast. Hats off to organisers for taking a gamble on acts such as Glasgow’s Sons & Daughters by dropping them off in Adelaide, especially on a line up which is rich in diversity and appealing to a variety of tastes and interests.
The formation of Sons & Daughters is steeped in a love of Johnny Cash records and not an addiction to Australia’s long running soap of the same name. Their bio is spot on when it says their sound ‘is of blackest Americana mixed with broadest Scots, spinning dark tales of broken bones and tough love’.
It had started to look like Sons & Daughters were never going to play in Adelaide, after the city was overlooked on their 2005 tour in support of their career highlight, The Repulsion Box. Although that said, for some it would still have been a tough choice about which gig to go to, with The Dresden Dolls also playing in town on the same night. The sparse numbers in the Space Theatre were a clear indicator where the majority of punters ventured. Nevertheless, this gig was a great show, made even better by the fact there was no support act to endure - just eighty minutes of good times with Sons & Daughters.
It was that quiet in the Space Theatre you could hear a pin drop and as the band took to the stage, front woman Adele Bethel made the opening remark ‘Are you sure you want to sit down? We’re not a sit down sort of band.’ A fair portion of the crowd made a surge, filling the gaps down front. Opening with The Nest, it seemed to take a bit for the band to get going after being heavily jet lagged.
The formation of Sons & Daughters is steeped in a love of Johnny Cash records and not an addiction to Australia’s long running soap of the same name. Their bio is spot on when it says their sound ‘is of blackest Americana mixed with broadest Scots, spinning dark tales of broken bones and tough love’.
It had started to look like Sons & Daughters were never going to play in Adelaide, after the city was overlooked on their 2005 tour in support of their career highlight, The Repulsion Box. Although that said, for some it would still have been a tough choice about which gig to go to, with The Dresden Dolls also playing in town on the same night. The sparse numbers in the Space Theatre were a clear indicator where the majority of punters ventured. Nevertheless, this gig was a great show, made even better by the fact there was no support act to endure - just eighty minutes of good times with Sons & Daughters.
It was that quiet in the Space Theatre you could hear a pin drop and as the band took to the stage, front woman Adele Bethel made the opening remark ‘Are you sure you want to sit down? We’re not a sit down sort of band.’ A fair portion of the crowd made a surge, filling the gaps down front. Opening with The Nest, it seemed to take a bit for the band to get going after being heavily jet lagged.
Just how jet lagged they were was pointed out by Scott Patterson’s remark, “it was forty hours between getting out of bed in Glasgow and getting in to bed in Australia.’ Further adding, “I hope it doesn’t show.’ Well, yes it did, but despite this, the band seemed in high spirits, charging through their set.
Some of the night’s highlights included Don’t Look Now and Rebel With A Ghost, with front woman Adele Bethel charming the pants off punters, dancing about the stage with her dazzling outfit. Rama Lama, despite its sinister undertones, was fun. Bethel tied it back to South Australia’s affinity for serial murders, hoping that none of them were in attendance tonight. Taste The Last Girl was introduced as being from the album which “the hits never happened”. Red Rose and Gilt Complex kept the momentum and excitement going before the band wrapped up the first set with Johnny Cash.
The band returned for an encore but had to pad out time while Adele was absent from the stage, (the audience was kindly informed that she was “taking a piss”). Upon her return, the band blasted through Blood with the Leonard Cohen inspired Dance Me In closing out the night.
Despite jet lagged band members and a small number of technical issues, the show was completely engrossing and brilliant. It would be nice to think Sons and Daughters will be back sooner rather than later, but only time will tell.
Some of the night’s highlights included Don’t Look Now and Rebel With A Ghost, with front woman Adele Bethel charming the pants off punters, dancing about the stage with her dazzling outfit. Rama Lama, despite its sinister undertones, was fun. Bethel tied it back to South Australia’s affinity for serial murders, hoping that none of them were in attendance tonight. Taste The Last Girl was introduced as being from the album which “the hits never happened”. Red Rose and Gilt Complex kept the momentum and excitement going before the band wrapped up the first set with Johnny Cash.
The band returned for an encore but had to pad out time while Adele was absent from the stage, (the audience was kindly informed that she was “taking a piss”). Upon her return, the band blasted through Blood with the Leonard Cohen inspired Dance Me In closing out the night.
Despite jet lagged band members and a small number of technical issues, the show was completely engrossing and brilliant. It would be nice to think Sons and Daughters will be back sooner rather than later, but only time will tell.