AAA Backstage Archive

Live Review: Little May + Winterbourne + HOWQUA @ Black Bear Lodge 6/12/2014

As 2014 almost comes nears to an end, we begin to reminisce about the year that’s been. We count down our favourite albums, gigs and songs thinking that the year is over. But if Little May has anything to do with it, this year is by no means over. In the small, quaint bar tucked up in the attic that is Black Bear Lodge was a night like no other. Finishing their seven stop tour in Brisbane, Little May delivered, smashed, nailed and powered out a rather emotionally charged performance and with the likes of Winterbourne and HOWQUA supporting the gals; it was truly a highlight of 2014.

HOWQUA joins the girls from Melbourne and brings a very poetically driven acoustic set of his debut EP, released only just a few weeks ago. This solo act packs a massive vocal punch. There is so much power in his soulful voice, look he probably didn’t even need a mic to fill up a venue, my god it was impressive. His EP is created by splashing together his indie rock talent with some electronic synth type musings and is really definitely one to check out, but stripping it back to an acoustic set meant that there was just something missing. I’d really love to see HOWQUA recreate the extra layers of his EP on the live stage.

Winterbourne was next and boy, where do I begin? Check them out now. No question. Put that coffee down. You can do those chores later. Dinner can wait. Youtube them right now. You won’t regret it. The duo of Jordan Brady and James Draper combines roots and rock to create my best find all year. Mandolin plus guitar and harmonies that make your hair stand on end for days, there is something so fresh and addictive about the two. Traditionally the act consists of just Brady and Draper, but for this gig they added a bass, drums and keys to the mix and I owe a beer to who ever made that decision because it just made their live act a gazillion times more exciting. I didn’t think they needed improvement, but boy did this make me happy. The mood itself was electric and you could tell that they had gained bulk new fans in such short time. These guys are going to skyrocket in 2015, you can just tell. 

By this time of the night the sold out gig was packed to the rafters. Squeezed in together we all were mesmerised by the delicate vocals and that folk music that really just leaves an audience and a synchronised blissful sigh. Liz Drummond, Hannah Field, Annie Hamilton are the lovely ladies that make up the trio of delight that work just so well together. Their set was filled with tracks lifted from their debut EP and a few newbies that all streamed together in a very lovely fashion, it’s really impossible to say that these girls don’t know what they’re doing. 

But before I move on, can I just mention the drummer for a moment as well? An add on to the trio for the tour, the nameless drummer was so gosh darn good at her job. Smashing everything on point in a way that left you in disbelief. She was really really good. I’d probably just go to a gig of her playing a solo set. Woah. 

As neared towards the end of the set tears began to well in the eyes of the girls and I can safely say I saw a tear or two in the audience. During one of their most popular tunes Boardwalks did the night become really something quite beautiful. The whole bar fell silent for a moment as the track began, but when it came to the chorus, every soul sang in sync and it was beautiful. The girls couldn’t stop smiling, struggling to sing, holding back tears and boy could you tell that they were in that moment so hard. It was really one of those shared moments between audience and performer. It felt like we all were family and we just wanted good things for each other and we were supporting our sisters be great, because they are great. 

Black Bear Lodge isn’t the largest of venues tucked away in Brisbane, but the amount of applause an audience of that size was able to produce was quite something. The energy that filled that room was just so great to be apart of. You don’t get to experience something quite like that, and the fact that the girls just seemed to be in disbelief that they had so many people who loved them that much shows that they are a humble bunch, creating music because they love it and riding the wave of people who love them.

This was definitely a highlight for me, of all the gigs I’ve seen in 2014, there was something just so uniquely intimate. That we all shared something that night. Being blown away by Winterbourne and then touched by Little May. Thank you guys, I really hope we can do this again sometime.