There is something so amazing and organic about Clare. Perhaps it’s my own womanly instinct or my emotional sensitivity to the issue but you can always tell a mum. They really do wear their heart outside of themselves in a way that is anything but vulnerable. It’s like some sort of mystical revelation, they know the secret to the universe and they have in fact experienced true happiness. When you put that into a musician it is the most amazing thing. They are, quite clearly not the centre of the universe, they play and perform for a different purpose, for a higher meaning, they are raw and uncompromised.
Clare for the most part has been seldom in the Adelaide live scene, and I for one was desperate to see her for the first time ever. When Modern Day Addiction came out I jumped for joy, knowing it could only mean one thing, dearest Clare was coming to town. After having picked up a copy of Modern Day Addiction, and eagerly anticipating the new sound that could only be inevitable with her new band set up, admittedly I was a little unmoved by the album. I guess I don’t like change.
Seeing her and The New Slang play live changed this, as a live show usually does for me, it’s like seeing the meaning to the sound, the artist carefully and expressly showing you their reasons, taking you on that journey, and what a journey it was.
A medley of odd instruments are strewed across the stage, an apple shaker, assortment of Vietnamese gongs, keyboards both medium and miniature, guitars, drums, all the necessities for a purely messy and outrageous musical jam. Out come Warren Bloomer and Tim Harvey sporting adorable matching outfits which can best be described as whimsical 1800s school boy attire, followed by the rest of the group, Marty Brown, keyboardist Mattie Vehl and the lovely back up girls Sally, Rachel and Annabelle. They get the music rolling while Clare stands out of sight in the wing, humbly barefoot and nervous. She is greeted with cheers and excitement, it’s been a long time coming. Here she stands in her high waist cotton dress, scarce make up and no-big-deal hairdo ready to begin with the album’s title song, Modern Day Addiction. Undoubtedly, Clare means business, she is here to get down and dirty with her Adelaide crowd and have some chaotic and loud fun. Next, she gives us an oldie to please us and take us back, blending the old with the new as her back up girls provide the depth and harmonies that make her music so layered and heart warming. After another oldie, Clare takes us into new territory but it’s not what I expect. It’s fun, it’s lively and it’s bold. Lucky Life move’s the audience and tells Clare’s story, shows us exactly where she is. Deeply personal and incredibly relatable she lays it out on the stage; “I’ll help you build your armour, but you’ll have to wear it for yourself. Of course I worry too much, how can I not, you’re my walking hearts” she sings her truth in such a raw and connected way it touches the heart of every parent, son and daughter in the room.
Next the party begins, AEIO You provides an opportunity for the girls to get their synchronised moves on, but not in a way that appears rehearsed and robotic. They move in a way that makes you want to move with them. Having toured for some time already there is absolutely no sign of anyone being over it in fact they appear to love this more than life itself. The girls harmonise and clap and twist while Mattie on keyboards sporting the most adorable mullet known to this side of the millennium bops and sings in a quirky awkwardness that makes me want to kiss him. Tim then runs off and changes into his running gear for the song titled Running to get into the spirit of things. This is followed by another oldie (God) to slow the heart rate down before we all die of overexcitement.
The next couple songs (Prinz Willy, The Start of War) calls for the full utilisation of the mish mash of instruments on the floor, the girls tip toeing around the stage like fairies to play and assist with the gongs, rattlers and shakers, Sally even takes over a drum while running back and forth to her shaking and singing duties. They are creating a mess of noise that comes together so sophisticatedly, you would think they were pretending to be making all that music. Let’s not forget also the brief intermission for Clare to sing Shania Twain to her husband and give him a big pash over the drum kit. So very cute. We have the pleasure of hearing her very well delivered impression of Julia, followed by the ever popular and energetic ‘You Looked So Good’ just in time for my third glass of wine. The cover of David Bowie’s Fashion gets the whole venue clapping and shaking while tying into the theme that is Modern Day Addiction. Clare and the band do their pretend finish with one of my favourites on the album, Bigger Than The Money, again with a whirl of synchronised clapping and a fanciful energy that compliments the ironic satire that the song engages with. They walk off stage to get their desperate applause from the audience but are eager to come back and give us more of their love.
Finally, Lips Like Oranges begins, evoking the inevitable sing along that comes with it (at this point everyone is liquored up and enthused for a good old sing song) followed by the grand finale, the emotionally charged Stars, the last song off Modern Day Addiction, not to kill the mood but to mellow it. It is our lullaby for the evening, Clare’s final gift to us and a reminder that she is not just fun and games but sentiment and depth of thought. She leaves us with poetry after the party, just a little bit of feeling and warmth to take home with us. And the night is done. There is nothing more I could have asked of their performance, nothing I wish had been played or done differently, it was fun, messy, raw and uplifting. Clare and The New Slang have come to new territory with this album and the show was nothing short of a glorious and ecstatic adventure.
(Photo courtesy of ABC, not taken at the gig because unfortunately I'm not multi-skilled like that :-) )
