Clare Bowditch

Clare Bowditch certainly knows how to leave audiences pining for more. If her recent Brisbane performance is anything to go by, many fans will be plotting how best to stow-away in the raven-haired singer’s bags when she heads to Germany.

Openly admitting her apprehension at performing solo for her Winter Secrets tour, Bowditch should lay her fears to rest. Performing without the ever-faithful Feeding Set tonight, Bowditch was simply perfect.

And she couldn’t have asked for better supports, with Hot Little Hands and Old Man River creating a relaxed and warm atmosphere, normally reserved for The Troubadour. Playing in duo-form, Hot Little Hands (The Feeding Set’s Tim Harvey, plus brother James) were revving up the audience when I arrived, and set the mood up nicely for the very endearing Old Man River (Ohad Rein).

You don’t often hear an audience singing enthusiastically to the support acts songs – but the hugely popular La had the crowd in full swing and it was clear why this wonderfully charming performer has such a large following.

The Zoo was full of laughter and people dancing to nothing in particular during the refreshingly short interval (you certainly couldn’t accuse Bowditch of diva-like behaviour) and then silence fell as the one we had been waiting for crossed the stage and took her place in the spotlight.

Opening with a slow acoustic version of When the Lights Go Out from her latest release The Moon Looked On, Bowditch’s irresistible voice carried the audience through a beautiful set of familiar and new songs, including long-time personal favorite, Divorcee by Twenty-Three.

You Look So Good had the audience swaying and singing along and was the perfect lead up to a magical encore. Surrounded by her friends, including Hot Little Hands, Old Man River, and Brisbane’s own Andrew Morris, Clare continued to impress with a very special performance of the classic Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody song, From Little Things Big Things Grow,

Following a playful rendition of Between the Tea and Toast, Bowditch was once again joined by Ohad Rein for a very unexpected but delightful duet, Sonny and Cher’s I Got You Babe.

After telling the audience she would be manning the merch desk (you could hear the collective gasp) Clare launched into her final song for the night Homage to My Dad.

With half the audience already heading for the CD’s and tee-shirts, and the rest of us dancing with strangers, one thing was certain – all of us were left completely smitten with this very gifted and unique storyteller.

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