Banoffee (aka Martha Brown) took to the stage as Kimbra’s support, fusing wispy lounge pop with her own brand of R&B to ease punters into the evening. Brown was in command of a single station of gizmos, the architect of a soothing set that often complemented the flamboyancy of the headline act. Disappointingly however, much of Brown’s set seemed owed to things engineered ahead of time instead of produced live in a more organic fashion. Its execution was, in a sense, assured and therefore unremarkable, forcing a disconnect between audience and artist. Brown’s catchy final song Let’s Go To The Beach was the best of her set, though, leaving a lasting impression. Constructing an indie pop gem, complete with subtle cues from club anthems, Banoffee capped off an enigmatic set in style.
Sonic chaos cued Kimbra’s arrival to the Hi Fi stage, the indie pop queen met with a rapturous reception. She cast aside her peculiar attire – a kind of golden Grug cosplay – and launched into a spellbinding set that won’t soon be forgotten. It was an impressively polished performance with more than a few surprises for the casual fan, Kimbra flirting with funk, soul and retro-pop. Kimbra’s ability to not only emulate, but own so many styles, was commendable. Nevertheless, there was one constant: most of Kimbra’s set was big, a crisp and colourful hour-long eruption, exemplified by the spine-tingling effervescence of single Cameo Lover. The song was clearly a crowd favourite, its explosion of euphoria matched only by the recently-released single Miracle.
As much as Kimbra excelled in delivering pure pop magic, her flamboyant quirks and eccentricities helped make the evening that much more special. The trippy 90s Music was a highlight, Kimbra intoxicated by her own experimental jam, jolting and jiving as if at the mercy of a maniacal puppeteer. It was a tireless display from start to finish, Kimbra exuding a special kind of charisma. Less ultimately proved more, though, the stripped-back encore song As You Are offering up one of the evening’s most memorable segments. It was an exquisite demonstration of Kimbra’s dizzying vocal gymnastics, dazzling the crowd. The final song of the evening, Come Into My Head, ensured punters were buzzing as they exited the venue.
Overall, Kimbra brought her very best to the Hi Fi, staging an excellent set that constantly defied simple definition. There’s little doubt she could conquer the world of mainstream pop, but somehow things are more exciting this way.
BY NICK MASON
Photo by Emily Day
Loved: The diversity of Kimbra’s set and the form of bassist Frank Abraham, who smashed it.
Hated: Lining up for doors, getting in and discovering the support set was well underway. Surely door times and set times shouldn’t coincide?
Drank: High-quality H2O.
