Boy & Bear are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their acclaimed sophomore album Harlequin Dream, demonstrating why they are highly regarded Australian Folk rockers.
First man in came the single source of truth. Dave Hosking from Sydney started solo. Now he does many of the lead vocals and plays acoustic guitar.
They came together in 2009. Killian Gavin electric guitar and vocals, and Tim Hart drums, vocals, and banjo. Both are singer-songwriters.
The full experience came with the addition of Tim’s brother Jonathan Hart keyboards and more, and eventually David Symes on electric bass. They all had kicked around in various other projects.
Harlequin Dream is similar with the addition of smooth and crystalline falsetto singing. A saxophone break from ex-pat New Zealander Matt Ottington shifts the tone toward Americana.
Three Headed Woman becomes ominous. You were sleeping with my best friend/ I woke up in a sweat. But it is prefaced with I had one of those dreams.
They stop short of those classic Roots Country heartbreak songs Long Black Veil and Dark End of the Street. The soulful lonesome voice is there though.
The guitar tone that legendary session guitarist Waddy Wachtel supplied for many Warren Zevon classics is here in spades tonight, and we first hear it on Bridges.
Drummer Hart then picks up the banjo to play one for sad folks, A Moment’s Grace. An older Country atmosphere, a lonesome clawhammer percussive style combines with a personified bass and a mournful saxophone.
The best Byrd’s homage, or possibly the Flying Burritos as well, is heard with Arrow Flight. Country Rock that is soulful and swings. The common denominator there being Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman.
Let’s not forget Dylan. In the manner of the first one now will later be last, they save album opener Southern Son to close the first set.
Sarah Blasko sings co-lead with Hosking on that.
She played a 30-minute support set just prior, solo with her keyboards.
I’m not sure what that means but her half-dozen songs tonight are all intense, witchy, and dramatic Folk.
A distinctive voice with some of the affect of Kate Bush, and the piercing intensity of New Zealand’s own Jazmine Mary. That’s all over All I Want. It feels like the moors of Wuthering Heights.
A powerful voice that keens and can pierce cleanly like a laser, cauterizing as it goes.
A song about Bridezilla’s and she sings of a side of me I cannot control.
The first time for me to experience her music and she is deserving of further attention. Fully hope to see her again.
She sings Goodbye in dark and sexy fashion like a seductive Circe.
Boy & Bear come back after a brief break to lay out a half dozen more.
Suck On Light is Americana with ringing guitars.
A big shout out to Neil Finn, and they finish with a version of Crowded House’s I Fall at Your Feet.
Tim the drummer gets up to play banjo and Dave the bass player takes the sticks. They throw in Neil Young’s Heart of Gold at the bridge.
Boy & Bear clearly have had a good time playing to a sizeable Kiwi audience, and they even manage an Up the Wahs for the Warriors league team, although they have won the Hall well before then.
Rev. Orange Peel
