Live Review: Amy Vee, Ginger And The Ghost, KLP, Imogen Clark

The young Imogen Clark was first on stage, showing a maturity beyond her years both in song, her writing and performance. Her expressive voice makes comparisons to other singer-songwriters, however, she is certainly talented enough to craft her own path. Based on tonight's performance Clark will certainly be a mainstay in the Australian live scene. KLP were next on stage and unfortunately left this reviewer a little cold. While there is no doubt about the Sydney-based singer's talent, there was a strange staged feeling about the performance. The tracks certainly had segments of the crowd dancing; however, at times they also seemed laboured and manufactured. The fantastic Amy Vee was next and played an excellent set in full band mode. The first thing that strikes you about Amy, apart from her amazingly husky vocals, is the confidence of her songwriting. There has always been an ethereal quality to her live sets, and it's good to see this hasn't been lost with the addition of a full band. No instrument was overplayed, and there is a minimalism in the tracks that allow her voice to rest nicely on top. Playing songs off her debut solo album, Fits And Starts, the beautifully arranged tracks left the near capacity crowd at The Standard in no doubt that this would be an album to watch out for, and one which will hopefully launch Amy to an even wider audience.

Last to the stage were the eclectic duo Ginger And The Ghost, whose crossover between art and music was an interesting and fitting way to close the night. Ginger's voice easily filled the room and gave the minimal dance tracks an other-worldly feel, with the wooden percussion and hollow bass lines conjuring up early Bjork comparisons. Lead single, Where Wolf, was a standout live, and their brand of quirky dance is a welcome addition to the local scene.

The night was really a double headline bill for Amy Vee and Ginger And The Ghost, and allowed the crowd a glimpse of two acts that undoubtedly have big futures.