Live Review: David Gray, Ward Thomas

On their first tour of Australia, Ward Thomas, twin sisters from Hampshire, immediately hit the right note, their vocals combining perfectly. With a hint of Americana, but very British accents, the warmth of their music was best appreciated in the title track of their second album, Cartwheels (which incidentally reached number one in their homeland) tenderly performed by just the two sisters on stage - Catherine on guitar, Lizzy on keys.

In other tracks, backed by a pair of musicians from Sydney, things felt seamless and smooth. No Filter, a song about social media, is a highlight from their brand-new album, Restless Mind.

Whether solo or harmonising, the twins showcase a talent in songwriting and performance that taps into the millennial zeitgeist where artists like Kacey Musgraves are household names, but the older generation in the room certainly appreciated the style as well.

In his nearly 30-year career, David Gray has worked hard to get to where he is. Having just released his 11th album, Gold In A Brass Age, his tour schedule is still as hectic as it was at the turn of the century. 

With fans no doubt keen for the old ones, Gray went straight to the new album first. With prodigious and expert use of a looping pedal, we got to witness how Gray created the unique and sometimes atmospheric backing sounds on his album through a range of effects and guitars, big and small. We also bore witness to his eclectic dancing - akin to a Peter Garrett in his hey-day – hands and arms akimbo, coincidentally suiting the lyric, “Tonight we dance like no one sees”, from A Tight Ship.

It’s Late was dedicated to his daughter, “She’s probably still in bed!” The new songs certainly point towards a progression in sound for the artist and give his music renewed relevance. Lucky too, as he described his music as "a living, breathing thing – like oxygen for me”.

The first classic was Sail Away, immediately inspiring ad-hoc dancing at the front of the seated room, although you wouldn’t call it a ‘dancey’ song by any means. In fact, the tone of the night was mostly very chill, excluding the rowdy bunch in the back corner, who would prompt a visit from security later in the evening. Not something you’d expect at a David Gray show.

The Other Side, performed solo on the keyboard, was tender and echoed beautifully around the Enmore. More often than not, Gray would slip between keyboard and guitar with the assistance of an astute roadie, showcasing his talent, ability to transition between the softer and harder sides of his music, and the versatility of his own sound. 

Nemesis, an almost ten-minute epic, allowed the artist time to explore the sonic nature of his music, Gray almost seeming to ad-lib the extended ending.

Truth be told, most of the show was on the softer side – that is until Please Forgive Me, which inspired the floor audience to ‘rush’ the front of the room. Finishing with This Year’s Love and Babylon, Gray covered off a huge selection of songs from his career and proved that his music still has the ability to inspire and evolve.