Live Review

Ainslie Wills, Little Casino @ Black Bear Lodge (28/10/12)

- I’ve been very keen to hear any and all things put down on the recorded medium by Melbourne’s Ainslie Wills, ever since her EP Somebody For Everyone huffed into our mailbox a couple of months after release, back in 2010. Since then only two singles have - haphazardly - made their way to us, but both of those confirm exactly the kind of promise I first heard.

Ainslie’s sound is deceptive: if you weren’t paying close attention, you might just write it off as pretty standard singer-songwriter fare. There’s a couple reasons why that isn’t the case. The first is her big voice: a lovely, sonorous mezzo with a slow and even vibrato. The second is her songcraft. It combines elements of country, folk, blues, 50s retro-pop and a bunch of other unexpected things besides. It’s the unexpectedness which is the key. I’ve never heard a song of hers that didn’t go the extra mile and bring that little extra touch of nuance.

She came on stage after Brisbane’s own Little Casino who performed their trademark indie-pop-rocking cut with something leathery, southern and melancholy. I have to say that the more I hear of the latter the better I like it and it seems to be all over their forthcoming EP which they played in its entirety, which bodes well. Their frontman seemed a little uncomfortable throughout the set, never looking like he was fully enjoying himself and having a few vocal quibbles, but it was still a pretty solid set.

Ainslie kinda sneaked on stage and just started playing. The crowd, a lot of whom seemed to have been there for Little Casino, or maybe just drifted in at the end of Valley Fiesta took a lot of convincing that they should listen to the music rather than try and talk over the top of it. Still, in amongst the bellowing patrons I really enjoyed her set, which centered around a blues-country-rocking kind of sound that would do Mia Dyson or Abbe May proud (actually I prefer Ainslie to Mia and since I like Abbe May an awful lot, maybe I should rate Ainslie and her about the same).

Ainslie’s voice was exactly as good in person as it is on record and her musicianship carried the set with a feeling of effortlessness, helped along by her band whose seriousness and enthusiasm was palpable. Her stagecraft and audience raport were … not quite as good - for some reason I was kind of expecting this - and I’m sure she won’t be thrilled to hear this, but it made her seem like an adorable doofus.

Not so adorable were the large crew of friends who turned out for Ainslie’s keyboard player, Natalie. They talked loudly all night and often thought it would be hilarious to shout down the band mid-song. They even somehow twisted Ainslie and co.s arms enough to get them to do a seriously underbaked cover - I don’t actually remember what it was - but the guitarist and bassist didn’t seem to manage to make it into the same key, so it is probably best forgotten. Natalie - get some new friends!

That was the only thing I reckon I didn’t enjoy though. I’m keen as to hear the new album, due out next March, so Ainslie says. Black Bear Lodge was the last show of their current tour, so… I guess I’ll just hold my breath till then.

- Chris Cobcroft.

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