Machine Translations

Tired and vague after a long week, I don't suppose either of us really ought to have gone out last night, but in the end it did AJ and I the power of good to go along and see Machine Translations last night. I love the Troubadour. It's so relaxed, so intimate, so...brown. (Shut up, Lauren, it suits my colouring ; ) We collapsed into comfy chairs in a corner with a bottle of merlot and gradually...just...un...wouuuuuund. It was glorious, just what I needed.

I really enjoyed the gig. I bought the band's first CD, Happy, a few years ago for one track, which they seem disinclined to play live for me :( and their music will forever remind me of winding through fields in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, the sugar cane taller than the car. Since then I hadn't heard them on the radio not even realised they were touring until their lead singer showed up as a support act for another emerging band whose CD launch Banana and I were at a fortnight ago. Odd.

Anyway, they're a great act to see live - very distinct vocal style and marvellous female drummer and keyboardist to boot. The support artists were pretty interesting too - Chris Pickering, who did some interesting roots-influenced guitar and harmonica work, lovely voice - he did the drums on Kate Miller-Heidke's album, Neek - and a girl called Holly-something who really put our nerves on edge to begin with but turned out to have some beautifully-crafted lyrics and an accompanying cello, for which I had a real soft spot. They always seem to be very open performances in that venue - no room for poseurs if you can see the whites of their eyes.