Project Description

Dustin Tebbutt & Lisa Mitchell @ Badlands Bar WA, 24/06/17

Lisa Mitchell - photo by James Matthews

Lisa Mitchell – photo by James Matthews

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Let’s all raise a glass for Ben Corbett, the keyboardist and guitarist from Lisa Mitchell and Dustin Tebbutt’s band help plant the seed for a combined tour of these two similar folk/indie souls. It seems such a natural and fitting union, it’s a wonder that this is the first time they’ve collaborated. Mitchell with her magical, ingenue world that dances around the periphery of Tebbutt’s plaintive musings.

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Badlands bar was also a great venue allowing for some choice viewing positions, and that intimate up-close vibe that is so important for a gig that lingers lightly with its folk sensibilities. The set up also allowed some ardent fans to give some enthused support to Alex The Astronaut aka Alexandra Lynn, who not only is an observant song writer as demonstrated with Rockstar City and I Believe in Music but who is also a recent college graduate in Maths and Physics! Adorned in a NASA bomber jacket, a small gesture at melding the Sydneysider with her nom de plume.

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The premise of the Distant Call tour to allow both artists to not only perform singularly but as a duet worked like a charm. Such is their acuity in finding the right melodic spot for their vocals, it was hard to distinguish, unless you knew, who the song belonged to. Mitchell stood firmly front of stage, snapping her fingers and confidently owning Tebbutt’s Give Me Tonight. Conversely on Mitchell’s What Is Love, a song so heartbreaking you’re in danger of being left an emotional shell, Tebbutt’s vocal grounded the emotion of the song to be more of a question than a lament.

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On their own both Tebbutt and Mitchell were able to be same-same but different due in no small part by the consistent thread weaved by their steadfast band of Dave Jenkins Jr (drums) and Ben Corbett (keys, guitar). Having a band so familiar with both artist’s work created effortless transitions from one set to another.

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With Mitchell in paper bag trousers, standing in front of her mic stand wrapped with a huge red ribbon she brought innocence and childlike wonder to, as Tebbutt referred to, the volcano. The optimism of The Boys, and the musical box melody of Neopolitan Dreams, reaching a pinnacle with the youthfully sweet Coin Laundry showing off Mitchell’s delicate vocal which is so alluring. And whilst her voice did get completely lost during her in between song banter, she did show in So Much To Say there is a roar within when required.  

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Dustin Tebbutt – photo by James Matthews

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Tebbutt was able to keep the focus upon himself and the chatter to a minimum as he eased himself into his own work building momentum firstly with Wild Blood, then later with Bones and Home. There is an expansiveness to both artist’s work, possibly borne from their upbringing in rural NSW but the effect elicits the audience upon an emotional journey. In spite of the murmur of conversation that would rise periodically, you would be hard pressed to find a better behaved crowd, with the first row standing politely half a metre from the front of the stage.

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The final act had Tebbutt and Mitchell performing songs of emotional watershed each displaying their distinct differences. Whilst Tebbutt remained rooted in front of the mic, occasionally losing himself within the layers of pathos of The Breach, Mitchell danced about the stage through Spiritus with one fan to deciding this was the right time to bring out the bubbles. The duo closed the evening with a meditative cover of Rufus’ Innerbloom that had been arranged so deftly, you wanted to open a bottle of red wine and reflect on your life choices. All in all it was a gratifying show with flashes of the whole being greater than sum of its parts.

4 stars

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