Reviewed by
Ray Smith, Friday 25th February 2017
The Acoustic Lounge - 'In Concert' Series At The GC is a series of concerts, each featuring a local artist in an acoustic setting. This performance was the turn of Catherine Blanch.
Catherine Blanch's first live performance in almost a decade opened to a welcoming audience in the intimate surroundings of the German Club's Lounge, a popular and busy Fringe venue that could be greatly improved by the addition of soundproofing measures, as the noise of revellers in the adjoining bar competed with the small PA system.
Blanch was joined on stage by the acoustic guitarist and Musical Director Lynn Hill, percussionist
Matt Saunders and bassist
Steve Brown. Performing a mixture of original songs and covers, the band ably tackled the material in sensitive and understated arrangements.
Saunders played a simple set up of snare, brushes and cymbals that suited the venue and material perfectly and his precision and empathy lent a nakedness to the songs.
By the third song, the already large audience had increased to capacity with every seat taken and many people standing at the back of the small theatre.
Blanch herself was witty and engaging between songs with a great deal of banter between performer and listeners. Her self-deprecating anecdotes were brave and honest as she laughed at herself and gave the audience permission to join in, and join in they did. The atmosphere was warm, inclusive and open, and the audience loved it.
Amongst the fun were some musical issues. A guitar slightly but relentlessly out of tune grated the ear a little and Blanch's voice would occasionally wander off key. A fold-back issue perhaps? Certainly, the noise from the foyer and bar would necessitate a clear stage sound for the performers to monitor their own playing.
It is always disturbing in performances such as this one to see the stage cluttered with music stands as the performers, eyes fixed on their scores, cannot engage with the audience or indeed each other during the show. Blanch relied heavily on reading the lyrics to the songs including many of her own which not only deprived the audience of eye contact with the singer and front person but also took her 'off microphone' as she turned her head to read. As the show progressed the band relaxed into the gig and the early stiffness softened into a more confident performance, but not confident enough to dispense with the music stands.
A couple of small clangers were dropped that were not really significant to the performance but did add to the feeling of an under-rehearsed show.
If the success of a Fringe show is measured by the Box Office then this one scored very highly indeed, but the audience size was the least of this performance's victories.
Catherine Blanch returned to the stage after a long absence to a large, enthusiastic and welcoming crowd. She offered an intimate and joyous show as she dropped all her defences and courageously threw herself back in front of the microphone and the mercies of an Adelaide Fringe audience with an almost endless array of shows to choose from.
It was a risk well taken.
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