It's been so long I'm not even going to acknowledge it!
"Hmmm, did I just walk into a private game of pass the parcel?" I thought to myself as I stepped into Northcote Social Club's band room. I was wayyyy too early and those that were even earlier than I had lined the perimeter, silently daring anyone to be enthusiastic (and by that I mean a. stand, and b. move ever so slightly into the centre of the room). Silly hipsters. Then again, I was wearing maroon pants, a jumper adorned with sheep and was toting a 50mm lens.
Luckily, as support act 'Argentina' took the stage, security ushered everyone to their feet, and I no longer felt like it was "mat time" in kindergarten. From the beginning of this Brisbane band's set, it was clear they were not from Melbourne's dreary climate. They were delivering songs that could only be described as effervescent pop rock, songs that put you on a beach and make you dig your toes into the sand. They played the kind of music you'd put on on the home stretch of a road trip - Argentina takes you to a place that's both familiar and heart warming. As more psychedelic orchestral sounds found their way into the set, I imagined their music behind a crackling 8mm film montage, your heart soaring and weeping in one brilliant beat. Do you see where I'm going with this? Argentina make you feel as if you have everything and nothing, as if nothing could better this day, except the hope of tomorrow.
But onto the main event! The beautiful Emma Louise.
Having not seen much visual media of her, except for what I now know to be a deceiving video clip, I was at first blown away by her size. She was tiny! Especially as she was being dwarfed by her band, who all seemed to have some kind of giant DNA lurking in their blood.
None of this mattered once she opened the show. Her voice, pitch perfect, transported us to a place where she held our hands through the delicacies of her life. Truly, she was like a fluffy pair of ear muffs in a blustery wind, or the first sip of hot tea on a frosty morning. Her warmth was clear to the entire audience, and her banter between songs was awkward but endearing.
Her latest single "Boy" was well received by the, in her own words "quiet but attentive" crowd and most would have had no idea it was the first time she had played the song live (she gave away quite a bit between songs). "Jungle" was great as well, although I feel slower paced songs are where her strengths really lie.
Emma Louise closed with the song, "1000 Sundowns" (a personal favourite), a tribute to her uncle who passed away from cancer. It was incredibly heartfelt and her performance left not a dry eye in the house.
Emma Louise's music is the type of phenomenon that swells your heart and begs you to fall in love. The kind of love where everything is perfect and you're swimming through perfumed days, coated in each other's smiles.
So get out there, fall in love!
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