In amongst the eerily quiet suburbia of Fremantle a secret show is about to begin. The single launch of ‘Anybody Else But Me’ by Cecilia…
The historic setting is Sullivan Hall, a structure fabricated and opened in 1959 using steelwork from an old army shed. Opened as a hall for the Girl Guides and Brownies, it was the home of The White Gum Square Dance Club from the early 1960’s up until the 1990’s. So to have creative artists return to a place with such community history was befitting of the evening. The dimly lit hall added to the atmosphere, walking between strings of fairy lights arranged as a kind of runway towards the stage. The floor directly in front of the stage was decorated with a series of cushions, bean bags and throws, reminiscent of someone’s front room which added to the relaxed mood of the venue. Chairs arced their way back from the lounging area and these were filled well before the first artist graced the stage. The small but well stocked merch table was loaded with handmade tee-shirts and tote bags. I was already feeling like tonight was going to be a little bit special.
First up, supporting Cecilia is Tanaya Harper. I am immediately struck by how naturally engaging this young woman is. Confident, funny and extremely talented it immediately reminds me that WA is incredibly lucky to have such wonderful artists to call our own.
With teasing promises of an album currently in production, Tanaya breezes through self-written tracks like ‘Role Models’, ‘Night Terrors’ and ‘Flashbacks’. She draws laughter from the crowd when talking of her love for the film Titanic, the romance between Jack & Rose and ultimately her crush on DiCaprio in her song ‘Young Leo’. But ultimately it is her voice that captures my attention – Tanaya could sing me a shopping list and I would have been amazed. Her voice and delivery (between laughter) is incredible.
Approaching the piano, Tanaya informs us she “hasn’t played one in front of an audience before” but she still delivers us two songs, closing with ‘Celeste’. The future is bright for Tanaya, and I look forward to seeing what she has in store for us with the release of her forthcoming album.
After a short break to stretch our legs and charge our glasses, the small stage begins to fill as Cecilia and her four-piece band take their places beneath the aging ‘White Gum Valley Welcomes All Dancers’ sign. Opening with ‘Stay’ I am immediately struck by the wonderful harmonies created by Cecilia, and backing singers Miranda & Monti (drums).
‘Just to Make Do’ continues the musical brilliance before we are introduced to Ian (guitar), Cecilia’s housemate, who we are informed has been song writing with her recently. ‘No Matter Who’ is followed by ‘Deserve Better’ which features Miranda on the cello and she is joined on stage by Elise on the violin, adding a further dimension to the musical feast. Tonight is a perfect example of why good music does not need to be played loud, as the appreciative crowd drown in the dreamy delights of Cecilia’s delivery.
‘Am I An Adult Yet’ which was released as a single last year, sees Cecilia sat at the piano with Miranda continuing on the cello. Hints of Tori Amos litter the set with bass player Lucy, joining drummer Monti to ensure they keep the rhythm section of the band holding a tight line – subtle but sublime as the band continue with ‘Help You’.
‘Piece of Me’ sees yet another join the now crowded stage, as Alice appears with clarinet in hand to the delights of the audience. The reason we are all here, apart from enjoying this evening of musical wonderment is the single launch of ‘Anybody Else But Me’ and this is quite possibly the highlight of the night. Beautifully delivered with its slow deliberate beginning before building to a crescendo of vocal & instrumental excellence and a chorus that encourages audience participation to the maximum – don’t worry, Cecilia didn’t miss that trick as we are encouraged to sing along. All in all a fabulous night of intimate brilliance and something that took this reviewer out of his normal comfort zone musically, and I was grateful for the opportunity to catch this special evening. Another talented artist which we need to keep an eye on.
The Rockpit would like to thank Andrea Thompson for the invite.