Live Review: Angus & Julia Stone, Vancouver Sleep Clinic

It’s no surprise Angus & Julia Stone’s 2014 national tour practically sold out.

After parting ways in 2011 to venture on their own musical journeys, the Sydney sibling darlings were coerced back together by famed US producer Rick Rubin. The result? A self-titled, co-written album containing A&J’s old sound with a slightly darker twist with a tour to match.

Setting the scene for A&J’s first sold out Perth show was support act Vancouver Sleep Clinic. Despite the stop-start nature of their set, the boys from Brisbane played a number of hauntingly powerful songs, lead singer Tim Bettinson’s vocals echoing throughout the Perth Concert Hall.

It was easy to hear the similarities between Tim and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, his voice full of melancholy and longing. The 17-year-old may have looked his age, but his stage presence surpassed even the humblest of musicians.

A what-seemed-like-forever interval followed, the suspense obvious as the crowd became more and more restless. Cue a venue blackout as the silhouettes of what could only be the brother-sister duo walked on stage. An unfamiliar melody softly played through the speakers before startling blue lights lit up the musicians as Angus & Julia Stone launched into their opening song, My Word For It.

A Heartbreak followed, the audience cheering in response. A glitch had “Girl, you’re just a…” playing through the speakers post-song, a not-too-phased Julia shrugging it off before moving into Down The Way’s For You.

Their next song came with a confession: Although a love song, Main Street brought back a particular memory for the duo – when they were kids they once went to K-Mart to steal some fairy lights because they didn’t have any money to buy them. When Angus took to the mic for Yellow Brick Road and Big Jet Plane, a backdrop of red lights, blue lights and smoke created a dreamy atmosphere that surrounded Julia as she danced and swayed in her signature style.

The singer outshone her brother with her soaring, sweet-yet-sexy vocals in an angst-riddled interpretation of Grease’s You’re The One That I Want, which had her moving from soft ooing to a deep husky roar. Also on the bill was a subtly hidden Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, which followed the siblings’ new song, Other Things, a delectable concoction of less than pristine harmonies of “see ya later” and “tomorrow”, a representation of the duo’s newfound sound.

An encore saw the Stones return to play The National’s Bloodbuzz Ohio before the night was ended with a heartfelt Santa Monica Dream, which left a tear in Julia’s eye and the crowd swooning for more.