If there was ever a time to go against the grain it would be at the final show of your sold out tour, smack bang in the centre of the Corner Hotel stage. Escaping the confines of the expected, Montaigne opened her show in an untraditional fashion with the lovable quirk of her 2014 single Fantastic Wreck. Also known as Jessica Cerro, the Sydney pocket-rocket joked afterwards with her audience, asking them “Well that was my best song, now what?” Luckily, there was no shortage of stunning songs to choose from.
On the back of the release of her debut full length Glorious Heights, Cerro kept the tempo up and the eccentric dance moves cracking with Greater Than Me. The 21-year-old’s sound is commonly characterised by an incredibly strong, iconic vocal and lyrical content that immediately resonates with listeners. Bring it to a live environment and every single inch of her storytelling technique is accentuated. As audience members swayed, sang and sipped on their drinks, Cerro didn’t need to demand attention – it was given unconditionally.
Although she was accompanied by her highly talented band, it was hard to notice anything other than the energy Cerro brought to her performance. Between her charismatic crowd interaction and her uncanny ability to utilise an entire stage, she had the entire room in absolute awe. The touching What You Mean To Me was up next followed by Lonely, which had Cerro sharing tales of her slightly embarrassing but mostly endearing texting habits.
Soaring straight into Glorious Heights Cerro was met with a sing-along that saw multiple (plastic) glasses raised in the air as fans sang with endless enthusiasm. The climax of Consolation Prize came as she stripped the track back to its roots and revelled in the audience’s reaction. An already striking single, its presence in the set list was welcomed with open arms and heavy hearts.
A double offering of Come Back To Me and it’s accompanying interlude brought a contrast between the intricate nature of it’s minimal introduction and the funkadelic fusion of it’s maximum production. After bringing us I Am Behind You Cerro set into a bundle of fan favourites. In The Dark, Till It Kills Me and Because I Love You unveiled Cerro’s most inner secrets and emotions, offering punters the chance to get in touch with theirs in a safe environment.
Closing her show through the simplicity of acoustics, Cerro performed I’m Not Afraid and Clip My Wings as an encore that evoked an undeniable case of Corner euphoria amongst the crowd.
Words by Phoebe Robertson
Image by Ian Laidlaw
Loved: Montaigne’s renaissance-inspired golden shirt.
Hated: Being short – as always.
Drank: Jack & Coke.
