In 2002, in the Garden of Unearthly Delights, the relatively unknown band, Cat Empire, took to the stage every night at the Spiegeltent as part of the Adelaide Fringe and rocked out to a legion of new fans, myself among them. Not long after this, Cat Empire became a household name rising to fame quite quickly and enjoying much success, both in Australia and around the world. In 2015, Felix Riebl, co-founder, bandleader and principal songwriter of the band, took up residence in the Pilbara to learn about the Yindjibarndi Community and, out of his experience, came Spinifex Gum, an album, a live performance, and a shared passion to ignite change. At the time, Riebl had no idea how much this residence would change him, and the songs that he created had the audience gripped from start to finish.
At the heart of this production is the choir, Marliya, a group of young indigenous singers who are based in Cairns. Choir director, Lyn Williams OAM, certainly knows how to bring out the best in these young vocalists. Their voices powered out through the theatre from the very first note. The sound was mixed well and the decision to have each singer individually miked was a good one, as this not only made for a richer sound, but enabled the audience to hear every word of each song, therefore making the connection between choir and audience all the more profound.
This is no ordinary choir who just stand and sing. These young women have a message to share and they do so with fabulous energy and sassy moves, not to mention beautiful harmonies. The singers worked well as an ensemble, as well as with guest performers, Emma Donovan, Adam Briggs, and Peter Garrett, with Riebl also performing one song, Locked Up.
Donovan's rich vocals added real soul to the evening, a contrast to the style of Briggs, and it was wonderful to hear a new generation of voices singing Midnight Oil's The Dead Heart alongside Garrett as, after 21 years, the message of this song still rings true.
In the creation of this project, Riebl said, he just "followed the music." He didn't intend for any of it to turn political but, in following the music and his heart, the two songs, Ms Dhu and Locked Up, just couldn't help but be written, and they are powerful songs that I still can't get out of my mind. Riebl laid bare one of Australia's dirty little secrets, which is black deaths in custody. With change still nowhere in sight, these two songs went straight to the heart of all there, as their message was delivered with a clarity and strength which brought me to tears as I remembered watching, in complete shock, the story of Ms Dhu unfolding, and her family's determination to fight to ensure that she was not to become another statistic.
She has now been immortalised through Riebl and musician/composer, Ollie McGill and, as her story rings out through the passionate voices of Marliya, one can only hope that change will come.
Spinifex Gum is a show for all Australians. It puts a mirror up to us in a way in which one cannot help but be affected and, if the full standing ovation at the end of the evening was anything to go by, this show certainly reached into the hearts of many.
Reviewed by Fiona Talbot-Leigh, Tuesday 13th March 2018.