It’s been an unseasonably cold, wet week, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me heading back to Avoca Beach Theatre for some more musical fun. I know it seems like I should just move in at this point, but when this incredible venue keeps bringing great acts to my local area it’s hard to resist the tickets!
I really love that Avoca is hosting so many up-and-coming local artists in their outdoor courtyard area. I’d thought these free shows may have only happened on weekends, but sure enough we had NEAV entertaining us on Thursday. I wrote about NEAV’s beautiful voice a few years ago, and I loved seeing how she’s maturing into such an incredible artist. Her set celebrated her original material while giving us a taste of her influences with some choice covers from Talking Heads and Travis. I just wish more people were around to see her set. While the courtyard was full before Jack Jones, just a few of us braved the cold and wind on Thursday night. You can’t control the weather, but I hope Avoca Beach Theatre have NEAV back when conditions are more favourable.
It was toasty warm inside the theatre when Rai Thistlethwayte and Ben Vanderwal took to the stage. I last saw Rai perform solo in 2011 and I must admit I expected more of the same. Thirsty Merc tunes stripped back with Ben taking a supporting role. In hindsight, despite the bandname on the drumkit, that was incredibly naïve. Spotify tells me Rai’s released plenty of solo material and a couple of EPs with Ben. I honestly don’t know how they escaped my attention, but after hearing the music on Thursday night I’ll make a point of diving deeper into it.
I write all this because I’m probably not the only one who hasn’t explored Rai’s less-commercial back catalogue. Thankfully I’m the kind of person who revels in discovering something new, and if I’m doing that at a gig I don’t mind at all. So I wasn’t disappointed that only four Thirsty Merc tracks made the set list and that they weren’t the ultra-successful singles. While I always enjoy them, I’ve probably heard Rai sing “In the Summertime” and “20 Good Reasons” enough times by now. But to hear him play deeper cuts like “DNA” and “Katie Q”? Priceless. However, others might not feel the same.
Rather than focusing on what didn’t make the set, I revelled in the fabulous songs so different to Thirsty Merc. Rai’s love of jazz shone through the extended jam sessions with Ben. I have a feeling the recorded versions are much more concise, but I love watching musicians feeling the music and the energy between them. I’ve always been impressed by Rai’s keyboard skills, and Ben may be one of the greatest drummers I’ve ever seen. It was a joy watching them collaborate.
The show was incredibly loose, and I ate it up. The stories were off-the-wall. We heard music we didn’t expect to hear. I know I’ll never get an instrumental version of the Beverly Hills 90210 theme at a Thirsty Merc show! A great gig should be like that, a moment in time that won’t ever be replicated. Yet those shows are becoming rarer as acts create rigid setlists and deliver rehearsed banter. So while it wasn’t the show I expected, I think that was a happy accident. If I’d known the show was so light on Thirsty Merc material, I may have decided to stay home, and then I would have missed this amazing night of entertainment.
Photo credit: Stephen Katulka
With my belly full of salt and pepper squid and succulent pork belly I was ready to listen to the sweet sounds of local talent Jacob Pearson. I’d heard a lot of buzz about this youngster, and was thrilled to experience him first hand. His voice sat somewhere between Jeff Buckley and Howie Day, although his tunes reminded me more of John Mayer in his early coffee house days. Just like Mayer he’s a dab hand at the guitar, and the ukulele as well. He told us the way Rai Thistlewayte’s music had influenced him early in his career, and it reminded me how young he was. He seems much more seasoned than his years would suggest. He’s cute too; with the right exposure he could definitely be the next big thing. It’s a shame too many people chatted through his set because it was something special.
That feeling of witnessing something rare and precious continued as Rai took to the stage. He seemed to revel in these intimate surroundings, which were perfect for road testing new material and treating us to some of his favourite Thirsty Merc cuts. While singles were represented, the setting also gave Rai the opportunity to play his some of those album tracks that didn’t hit the charts. Personally I preferred these; I still don’t think I’m over the mass saturation of airplay “20 Good Reasons” received. The superb new tunes definitely have me excited about the next album. In this intimate setting with the hushed crowd I could focus on every lyric and every note and really take them in. Rai chatted easily with us, telling us about his recent songwriting trips and the tours he’s been taking. Lizotte’s facilitates that kind of show experience, the breaking down of the barrier between artist and audience. He encouraged us to get to our feet for a stomping new number and to sing along loudly with “In the Summertime.”