EWAH and the Vision of Paradise were launching their single ‘Play Hard’ (see my review and interview here) in their home town, seemingly on the cusp of the apocalypse, and it was a great performance from a band that is incredibly mature and poised.
While undoubtedly the enigmatic EWAH, as the principle songwriter, guitarist and singer, is a tremendous and central talent, her band were magnificent: professional and passionate and a vital element of the muscular sound.
It’s hard to pinpoint this sound – there are touches of the late, great Australian legend Chrissy Amphlett (from the Divinyls), a bit of PJ Harvey and a touch of Sharon Van Etten. The wild and frenetic keys, the sharp-edged melodic bass playing and the thundering drums were eminently essential elements to EWAH’s restrained guitars and her magnetic presence.
Support from fellow Hobartians Bert Shirt was great: a low fi three piece that had a twee naivety about them, soaked in an eighties/C86 vibe and some very catchy tunes. Opening the evening were Northern Subs, a slightly incongruent pagan grunge/metal band who were nonetheless passionate and dedicated musicians.
I have a very strange feeling that this could be the least live shown for quite a while given the circumstances, but it was a nice way to begin a period of isolation.
Set List:
Sun Goes Down
Beach
All Summer Long
Arcadia
Hole in the Sky
Play Hard
Isolation
Walk the Night
