tUnE-yArDs @ Spiegeltent

tUnE-yArDs
@ The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park, Sydney
18/01/12

The Spiegeltent is an absolutely wonderful venue - seating less than 200 people, it provides a real sense of intimacy and warmth that pervades each performance regardless of where it is pegged down. Touring on the back of her big bad sophomore album, w h o k i l l, Connecticut loop-queen tUnE-yArDs took over the tent for just over an hour, with no support. It wasn't needed - with her genius loop stylings and support musicians, she is a dominating performer with a fiery, joyous presence whose remarkably raw vocals demand attention.

tUnE-yArDs' songs are built around looped vocal and percussion samples, all created live on stage with a rare ease and vivacity. The stage was set with a couple of drums, two microphones, bass, saxophone and the all-important pedal - with just these simple tools, the complexity and energy created in each of composer/vocalist Merille Garbus' tunes is awe-inspiring. tUnE-Yards is not exactly a solo act - though Garbus is clearly at the centre of things, she is amply supported by Nate Brenner on bass and percussion, and by a brilliant pair of saxophonists who add body and verve to Garbus' catchy pop tunes.

The night got started as Garbus shyly made her way on stage and created the loop for Party Can. It was a perfect choice - the audience seemed a little bashful, too, but all that got pushed aside as Garbus encouraged all to respond to her roar of "Do you wanna live?". As the crowd response surged louder and louder, Nate's soulful bass kicked in and it was all systems go. From there, tUnE-yArDs ripped through the majority of the songs from w h o k i l l, all set afire by Garbus' effortless vocal range, which zipped back and forward from whimsical whispers to African tribal yelling without so much as a seam to be heard.

Though the imperfect sound balance of the venue caused the bass to sound a little too muddy, the mix was excellent, and the vibe passing through the crowd was a crackling and comfortable kind of static. Owing to the large number of seats, it was not possible to get dancing, but Garbus encouraged the crowd to get up out of their chairs for the last few soul-sparking songs (including the night's closer, You Yes You), and a few enthusiasts from the back eagerly leapt to the stage front to get their groove on.

Without a doubt, tUnE-yArDs are going big, big places. There is an ineffable spirit coursing through every song in their repertoire, and this can only go to bigger and better places. Seeing them in a venue with more floor space and a more jumped-up crowd will be a sheer joy, when the day comes, and it's coming soon.

HIGHLIGHTS: Party Can, Bizness, You Yes You