To follow an exhibition featuring two paradigm-shifting artists is no easy task. As a result, the live music portion of NGV Friday Nights often threatens to be underwhelming. And yet, so well curated is the program that the performers don’t just manage to soar in their own right, but also complement the Warhol | Weiwei pieces on view in the next room.
Deradoorian is the project of former Dirty Projectors instrumentalist and vocalist Angel Deradoorian, who performs live with her sister Arlene. Despite being a two-person set-up, they faced no difficulty regenerating the range of textures heard on Deradoorian’s debut full length, The Expanding Flower Planet. It’s a diverse record, containing elements of experimental art pop, droning krautrock, ‘60s psych and a touch of post punk grit. One’s inclined to describe Deradoorian’s vocals as the major drawcard, but the arrangements are so finely assembled that the instrumentation doesn’t just idle in the background.
They opened with the record’s title track; Arlene playing the lurching percussion motif on floor tom and snare, while Angel played bass guitar and sang lead vocals. It was the set’s barest number, but there was no sense of anything lacking. This was largely down to the way they used their voices. Across The Expanding Flower Planet, Angel displays her capacity to shift from a prowling low register into passages of non-linear high notes, recalling her work in Dirty Projectors as well as the eruptive propensity of vocalists like Bjork. Arlene wasn’t fazed in matching these seemingly impulsive high jolts, and it was a pleasure to watch two people sing in such unerring unison.
We heard a good chunk of The Expanding Flower Planet. For a number of songs Angel pointed her vocal microphone towards Arlene in order to create a simple drum loop. This allowed Arlene to add extra percussive elements such as cabasa, egg shaker and tambourine, while also being able to focus on her vocals. Angel moved between bass and a pair of synthesisers, and they didn’t break a sweat while covering the multi-genre spectrum of The Expanding Flower Planet.
The whole show had an air of ease, almost nonchalance, despite the fact they were working hard to ensure the songs had everything they needed. In this way it was reflective of the artworks on display next door. There was an inviting immediacy to everything that occurred onstage, but it was clearly the product of much hard work and visionary focus.
LOVED: Being within touching distance of the stage.
HATED: The non-atmospheric lighting.
DRANK: Campbell’s soup.
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
