Adelaide Fringe

Fringe Review: Grace: The Songs of Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley remains one of the enigmas of music, because of the mystical and soulful nature of his writing and performance.

Presented by Sounds Out of Hours
Reviewed 5 March 2016

Jeff Buckley remains one of the enigmas of music, partly due to his young and freakish death, but more because of the mystical and soulful nature of his writing and performance.

Buckley had the rare quality of being a great singer-songwriter, and also being able to cover other musicians’ work in ways that made those songs his own.

Louis Donnarumma has jumped into the herculean task of presenting Buckley’s work in four performances this fringe. Joining him on stage are Anthony Costanzo, Glenn Charles and Tyler Venter, who form a formidable combo. Donnarumma gives us Buckley’s singing style, from the visceral growl, to the vulnerable falsetto, without sounding like a parody.

First half consisted of some favourites including the eponymous Grace, So Real and Lilac Wine. They also gave a great rendition of Buckley Senior (Tim)’s song Once I Was.

Second half opened with Buckley’s iconic version of Cohen’s Hallelujah, before moving into such numbers as Everybody Wants You and the gut-wrenching Lover You Should Have Come Over. After another Buckley cover, Just Like a Woman, the boys finished their set with a pumping iteration of Last Goodbye.

Four shows have all sold out. The audience was enraptured. The music was a tribute, but also a fresh sound in its own right.

Sublime.

Reviewed by Tracey Korsten
Twitter: @TraceyKorsten

Rating (out of 5): 4

Venue: The Grace Emily /The Wheatsheaf
Season: Sold Out.

· Fringe website
· www.soundsoutofhours.com

 

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