Hugo van Buuren is nothing short of mesmerising.
For an old-school Melbourne venue promoted under the mantra “GOOD PEOPLE // GOOD STAFF // GOOD BANDS”, The Old Bar stood as good as its word last night.
Headlining with a release-day performance of his new EP Two Truths, indie alternative-folk artist Hugo van Buuren was joined by a diverse assembly of supporting acts, each of them as wide-reaching in genre as Hugo’s own vocal range.
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A small, atmospherically dark venue plastered with crinkled events posters and vintage newspapers, The Old Bar’s enthusiasm for eclectic decor was well-served by the variety of talent onstage. Beginning with an extended set from ambient sound duo Polje Nieuk, whose transportive abstract techno rhythms collectively opened the consciousness of the audience, there followed a dreamy continuation from acoustic singer Sandy Hsu.
Wrapped in pink neon light and a floor-length lace shawl, Hsu demonstrated fantastic reserves of strength and pitch within her voice, accompanied by the mellow strums of her guitar. Performing new songs from an upcoming album, Hsu’s vocal performance was strong and clear, casting her voice upward in long, high notes that confidently reflected off the solid brick interior of the venue.
The final set of the night saw Hugo’s entire band – six members, on a variety of instruments including drums, guitar, violin, and even clarinet – packed onto the stage, producing a dense cluster of coiled, colourful sound. Hugo himself proved a dominating presence, not only by virtue of his 6’4” frame but due to the twisting, euphoric motions of his performance.
Embracing his guitar tight against his body as he bounced on his Blundstones, Hugo’s voice carried a glassy, soulful texture that harmonised with the pattering ecstasy of the band’s supporting percussion. He proved a captivating performer who inflated the confines of the room with his gleeful, grateful energy.
Following the release of two previous singles, including his ethereal and confessional reflections on lost love in Two Rivers, the full EP release succeeded in uniting the room amidst the sadness of the previous evening’s news from across the Atlantic.
Indeed, the insanity and heartbreak of a second Trump presidency was repeatedly alluded to between sets by van Bureen and Hsu, making an assembly of songs exploring loss and reconnection all the more unifying. And necessary.
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