Donning Winehouse’s signature beehive, Belgian-Australian singer/songwriter Moogy swigs from a vodka bottle, turns to the audience and flippantly remarks, ‘It’s real’. It’s Moogy’s personal take on the delightful, sassy attitude for which Winehouse was renowned that makes this tribute to the late British singer utterly remarkable. Supported by Apu on percussion and Charles ‘Darkie’ Wilson on keyboard, Amy Winehouse’s ‘High’ Tea is a sweet treat for all.
Although Moogy has Winehouse’s hair, eyeliner and tattoos down pat – from the horseshoe on her left arm to her lover’s name across her heart – she does not offer an exact impersonation of Winehouse herself. Moogy apologises for vulgarities and even casually comments about Winehouse’s life and music in between songs. In reference to ‘You Know I’m No Good’, Moogy highlights a cheeky reference to Roger Moore that results in laughter from the audience. With her light banter, it’s easy to tell Moogy is a huge admirer of Winehouse’s work, frequently commenting on the late singer’s lyrical talent.
It is irrefutably hard to encapsulate Winehouse’s signature, soulful drawl, but Moogy successfully delivers with a rich voice that is full of warmth and feeling. She oozes endearing snark in ‘Stronger than Me’, shows true vocal prowess in ‘Me and Mr Jones’, and breezes through the hits like ‘Rehab’ and ‘Valerie’, proving to be a decent contender to take on Winehouse’s legacy.
With dreadlocks and sunglasses, Apu provides slick, infectious beats. He multi-tasks between bongos, tambourine, rattles, cowbell and others, presenting an impressive use of percussion. On keys, Wilson displays great chemistry with Moogy, offering tongue-in-cheek quips about her performance that eventually leads to her exclaiming, ‘Darkie still thinks I’m actually Amy!’
The trio performed over backing tracks throughout most of the night to achieve, as Moogy puts it, a ‘fuller sound’. Certainly, a three-piece band alone could encounter difficulty in capturing Winehouse’s jazzy style. However, at times, the pre-recorded supporting tracks did hinder the intimate atmosphere. The supporting tracks included more keys and percussion, which might have made the live musicians appear redundant.
Not just for Winehouse fans, but for everyone to truly appreciated the English singer’s musical talent, Amy Winehouse’s ‘High’ Tea is a testament to the longevity of her music – it’s sure to outlive us all.
Rating: 3½ stars out of 5
Amy Winehouse’s ‘High’ Tea
Moogy: vocals
Chris ‘Darkie’ Wilson: Keyboards
Apu: Percussion
Globe Cafe, Prahran
30 June and 6 July
Melbourne Cabaret Festival
melbournecabaret.com
26 June – 7 July
