Kate Miller-Heidke

Tecoma was Miss Kate Miller-Heidke’s support act for the night. And from a room filled with only about 20 or so people I concluded that not any people had heard of her before, unlike myself, and I felt sad for all of those who didn’t bother to come and see this amazing woman. With a voice as dusky and deep and an old timer from the 50’s blues period and some finger picking style like I had never seen a female play before I was in awe watching her on stage. She held the presence of everyone in the room, each song portraying a rich sound with clear influences such as jazz, roots and even a little r n’ b in there at times too. After her short set I hoped that Miller-Heidke would be able to hold up her end of the night and shine through what we had already experienced.

Having caught a glimpse of Miller-Heidke as she tiptoed down the stairs and into the backstage area in the club, she then appeared on stage in a little hoop skirted polka dot frock, complete with tights and high top chuckies. Let the eccentricities begin.

Playing a few new songs to begin with got the crowd warmed up and excited by her theatrical guise. Sitting at her keyboard she played with arms and fingers outstretched thrusting down her arms in jerky movements and hitting the keys precisely even though it looked as though she was playing like a wooden toy of sorts. It hit me then that she reminded me of a scene in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang where the two lead adult characters had to pretend to be dolls come to life. This is what Miller-Heidke was this night, a real life dolly performing and playing for us all to see.

Between songs making small talk with the audience and then at one stage explaining that the following song was about her mother and her father, or as she liked to point out her ‘Mut’ and her “Fart’, the audience chuckling accordingly, she continued to play and wow everyone with her high notes and perfectly executed head tilts. Delving into an old favourite ‘Ducks Don’t Need Satellites’ was a hit and had ever couple in the crowd silenced and handholding.

Overall Miller-Heidke held up her end as I had hoped she would. Her theatrics and quirks not as pronounced as I had expected them to be however this wasn’t such a bad thing in the end. If 2 sold out shows and five ARIA nominations under her hoop skirt are anything to go by then I think it’s safe to say that this young lady is going to go far.

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