Over the past two years, this girl from rural Victoria has appeared on the “Steven Colbert Late Show” to millions of viewers and an overwhelming response. She’s recorded and released her latest album, “Ramona”, to worldwide critical acclaim, and has appeared live on the highly respected WEXP in Seattle (viewable here.)
Tonight, Cummings had just finished a gruelling four-month tour of the USA and Europe. Her band was road-worn, whiskey-laced and simply “on”. It was my gig of the year.
This was her first Sydney show since a gig at the Lansdowne Hotel earlier this year and Cummings featured a new line-up of her band that has worked a gruelling four months tour across three continents. Their 50-odd shows, included two sell-outs in London.
Unfortunately, I only caught the last two songs of The Melodones, the support band. They were hampered by a poor mix, but what I caught of their layered fuzz and over-the-top reverb-laden set appeared to be influenced by Jesus and the Mary Chain and the Velvets, but the vocals were barely audible. I will look out for them again and at this point I will reserve judgement. Hopefully they sort the live sound next time.
On to the headliner and Grace Cummings sits at her piano and observes the punters and the over-packed room before giving a nod to her band to start. The sprinkling notes of “Something is Going On” ring out and an ambience is created by this opening track of “Ramona”.
The song lands in the territory of Bob Dylan’s “Time Out of Mind” album with Nina Simone performing it. It evokes feelings of the back alleys of New Orleans and a vision of broken Southern towns. A dark song of shadows and ghosts.
“Raglan“ from “Storm Queen” is rearranged with a focus on the piano instead of guitars . It’s a song that weaves with a sense of freedom as it glides and flows with masterfully tasteful with guitar from Louis King.
The band leaves the stage and now it’s Grace holding her own, solo. After a meditative opening, “A Precious Thing“ takes us on a journey with Grace’s voice as it soars from where angels dare to pure road gravel . Grace has this gift to write and perform songs that feel that they were always have been written She exposes her vulnerability and frailty. The audience is spellbound.
Cummings stands up as the full band joins her. Now barefoot, she straps on her red Telecaster and deep dives into the remaining tracks from the lush and textured album that is “Ramona”.
“On and On” was the first song to break through on radio locally. It’s followed by what sounds like now a standard, “Common Man”. This remarkable tune contains echoes of Roy Orbison with a nod to Americana and features some solid interplay between Louis King and bass player Thomas Fraser.
Standing at the microphone, Cummings recalls fragile sirens like Judy Garland and Edith Piaf, two singers who exposed frailty, vulnerability and the human condition Finding her place with her own songs and voice, she transforms into a full-blown Rock Goddess with a fire in her belly like Chrissie Hynde backed by a blazing rock band, belting out songs with confidence and power.
“This song is about a cunt” declares Cummins and roars into the blues of “You Just Don’t Know What You Are Missing Every Day From Me”.
Then there’s “Everybody’s Somebody”. This song has been part of Graces set for more than five years. It’s timeless and soul inspired with soaring notes dripping with attitude. It’s timeless and could have been sung in smoky clubs in the 1960s in London , Detroit or Chicago. Emotive, powerful and a solid reminder never messes with a scorned woman.
Townes Van Zandt
Took a hold of my hand
So, I wouldn’t feel alone
I just can’t feel alone
Grace begins her signature song, “Storm Queen”. The intensity builds on the the interplay between the band and long-time drummer Tyler Daglish. He plays with swing and can turn songs into a locomotive with his solid back beat.
The band knows when it’s time to play with subtlety, and lets Grace’s songs breathe at critical moments, When tension is needed, they rock and work off each other with eye contact facilitating the sort of improvisation evident in this song and others.
At the Lansdowne show five months ago, the band had some line-up changes and the show was patchy. At the Great Club , the band sometimes referenced the Bad Seeds but seemed to lack the razor blade edge of what I’d experienced two years before. Tonight, any such concerns were ill-founded. This was a well-oiled machine and when Grace unleased her song “Heaven”, we are assaulted by Crazy Horse’s blistering guitars circa “Ragged Glory”. They are on fire.
The set sits on just 60 minutes; there is no waffle and it’s a roller-coaster ride as Grace t leads us through various levels of emotion and songs that explore the human condition. Her music has a vulnerability and openness and at the same time she rock outs with the best.
This review has name-checked everyone from Bob Dylan to Judy Garland. Grace is not like any one of those that artists in particular. She draws on such wide range of influences and is uniquely her own self, a performer with an ambitious artistic vision. That’s why her following is growing and embracing her exceptional talent.
It’s a bold statement to claim that Grace Cummings is a once-in-a-generation artist but I don’t know anyone who’s seen her live and hasn’t been blown away.
