Presented by Adelaide Festival Centre
Reviewed 12 June 2014
The Space Theatre was filled with patrons at dimly lit tables in the very best of cabaret tradition when a sharp looking Alison Coppe took to the stage in a 3-piece suit and with a 5-piece band.
Coppe (shoeless) quickly got the audience on side as she promised we’d get “boozy and bluesy until they kick us out”. Opening with New Coat of Paint, which featured an excellent saxophone solo from Giovanni Clemente, she was the demure tour guide through Tom Waits’ classic songs Way Down in the Hole, Invitation To The Blues and Dirt in the Ground.
A soulful version of Eggs and Sausages featured an impressive solo from Musical Director and fine pianist Aaron Nash, and just the right amount of brush from drummer David Mazzarelli.
Supported also by Michael Ciaramella (bass) and Luke Fergusson (guitar, trombone), Coppe and her band explored some of the splendidly grimier aspects of the Waits library with Mr. Siegal and Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis.
Coppe’s vocals in Martha and Jersey Girl provided the sweet and the soulful to the proceedings, and the concert concluded with a rousing rendition of Heartattack and Vine which had the audience seat-dancing.
At times the mix resulted in some backing instruments having too much weight, which didn’t always give Coppe’s ardently expressive voice enough room to tell her musical story; my ears selfishly wanted less competition with the main attraction.
Coppe’s boozy and bluesy promise fulfilled, all that remains is to watch her star continue to rise.
Reviewed by Gordon Forester
Twitter: @GordonForester
Venue: Space Theatre
Season: season ended
Duration: 70 minutes
The Adelaide Cabaret Festival runs from 6 – 21 June 2014.
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