Review by Katrina Couzens of Saturday Supper Club presented by Tin Star and Clare Cowley
Set in Anna and John’s old West End Queenslander, catered by their professional chef son Jasper, the Saturday Supper Club had the vibe of a parlour party. Casual, comfy, warming, with guests spilling out from the large open parlour room out into the garden.
Local band Tin Star opened the concert with a mix of guitarist Dan’s original repertoire and other favourites, treading the gamut of folk rock from dance-in-your-seat tunes to more serene ballads. I particularly loved Dan’s energetic “I’d fight the devil for you” and their hauntingly beautiful rendition of Augie March’s “The Slant”. Penny and Cathy played a merry-go-round of instruments—fiddle, harmonica, trumpet, accordion, banjo, voice, and percussion—resulting in a continuously refreshing sound.
Singer/songwriter Clare Cowley was a wonderful contrast to Tin Star’s high energy, with a beautiful mellow singing voice and slow blues vibe. Slow blues isn’t my favourite genre but Clare’s lyrics are captivating, drawing on any and all sources of inspiration from growing up regionally, to flings with surfer boys, to B-grade movies to craft often grounded, sometimes deliciously surreal stories. “Burgundy Heart” is definitely making it into my regular listening with its waltzing cadence and vivid imagery.
Anna and John’s house is particularly suited to concerts, and I won’t be squeezing a full sound system and 100+ guests into my apartment any time soon, but the homely Saturday Supper Club was a great reminder that art and performance can in fact happen anywhere. Maybe I’ll pull my fiddle out from its dusty case and put on a little showcase for my grandparents.
