With a youthful fragility akin to James Blake, 21-year-old Hamish Anderson was received on stage by a full house. Finding it nearly impossible to see Anderson clearly, some of us resorted to standing on vacant chairs in order to get a decent glimpse. Kicking into a heavy blues prelude, the confident Anderson moved freely across the podium, often turning away from his audience to engage in a call and response instrumental dialect with his drummer. Complementing and encouraging one another, this synergy was consistent throughout the entire performance. Anderson and his band then transitioned smoothly into Smoke And Mirrors, the second single off his self-titled debut EP. In contrast to his delicate physicality, Anderson’s voice was raw and deep, an instrument which evoked an experience well beyond his 21 years. Shifting between blues and folk, Anderson’s vulnerability was exposed and suppressed, the acoustic ballads representative of his versatility. With Hendrix-inspired guitar riffs and extended solos, Anderson tore up the stage, simultaneously reviving and reinventing the blues. He was then able to successfully transition from electric to acoustic, lending pathos and sincerity to his folk tracks. His husky, yet powerful voice was not dissimilar from Matt Corby’s, a tone filled with longing and sadness. The lyricism of his sombre track Winter, which was written at the age of 17 contained the lyrics, “Is young love really meant to make me feel this old?” immediately illustrating Anderson’s loss of innocence. Essentially a love song and a coming of age moment, Winter indicated a maturity that Anderson validated through his lyrics, structured acoustics and body language. Halfway through his set, Anderson called a fellow folk singer onto the stage to perform a duet. They sang a ballad, with a sound and presence likened to Angus & Julia Stone, a sweet choice that added even more versatility to the performance.
Also included in the set was a heavy rock rendition of The Beatles’ classic Come Together. Although it was the original minimalism in the song that gave it its charm, Anderson and his band covered the pop track quite well, providing it with an electric rock grounding and a faster tempo. Empty Thoughts was next, another acoustic ballad which reinforced Anderson’s strengths as a songwriter. Closing with Howl, the opening track off his EP, Anderson sang his guts out, playing his electric guitar in a wild uninhibited frenzy. Concluding their performance with extended instrumentation, Hamish Anderson and his band thanked and bid farewell to a buzzing crowd.
BY DINA AMIN
LOVED: The Jim Morrison doppelganger standing in front of me, circa 1968.
HATED: The tacky disco ball hanging from the roof of the stage.
DRANK: Lemon lime and bitters, without the bitters.
