With nothing more than a chair, a microphone and a rotating collection of guitars, singer-songwriter Lior had the Space Theatre audience enthralled from the moment he stepped on to the stage last Saturday.
He opened the show by thanking his audience for coming to spend some time with him; it was the kind of welcome you’d expect after arriving at a close friend’s front door. From that moment on, it was as if the entire audience had crammed into Lior’s lounge room for a laid back Saturday night jam session.
Three albums into his career, the reluctant storyteller seems to be embracing his growing success with greater ease, effortlessly weaving yarns about his family, his Israeli heritage, and his love of old time blues music in between songs.
The set list was, as Lior put it, a collection of songs he felt like singing that night. There wasn’t a new album to promote or a ‘best of’ line up, featuring his best-known songs back to back. It was a musical journey through his career so far, and some sneak previews of songs that are so new, the ink has scarcely dried on the paper. Given the rousing applause his new material received, it’s safe to say it won’t be the last time those songs are played live.
It was a night full of ballads, showcasing Lior’s talents as a guitarist and a vocalist. Highlights included songs from his award-winning debut album Autumn Flow, including ‘Gypsy Girl’ as well as the title track. Another popular song from the album, ‘This Old Love’, got a run in its original form. The song has however also taken on a new life, being translated into Dutch and become a chart success in Holland. Lior entertained the crowd with a few verses of the reworked song. I imagine only the Dutch-speaking members of the audience could tell you how accurate the attempt was.
The night also included a few covers, including Don McLean’s ‘Vincent’ – chosen because Lior hates that he can’t claim to have written such a wonderful song himself. It was another cover of an old, anonymous blues song, ‘Satisfied Mind’ that most accurately sums up the audience’s mind-set as we left the theatre that night; and while the name of its original artist is unknown, it’s certain the audience walked out with their heads full of wonderful sounds, after being entertained by a charming Australian musician.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Lior
Sessions 2013
The Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
2 February, 2013
