Folk star Marling just divine
CONCERT
Laura Marling/ Marika Hackman
St Joseph’s Church, Subiaco
REVIEW HARVEY RAE
Heavenly Sounds is a wonderful event series thought up by Australasian booking agency Artist Voice and One Louder Entertainment artist management, home to Paul Kelly and Sarah Blasko, among others.
It sees intimate artist performances take place in churches around the country, giving those who may not frequent church so much these days the opportunity to take in the grand architecture and stunning acoustics.
St Joseph's Church in Subiaco has hosted Beth Orton, Seeker Lover Keeper and more as part of the series, and it turned out to be the perfect fit for Englishwoman Laura Marling.
Her last performance here as part of the 2012 Laneway Festival saw her lost on the main stage, with a full band; on this occasion it was simply Marling, two guitars and occasional cello and backing vocals from Ruth de Turberville. This level of intimacy suits Marling, who can come across as aloof in concert because she sings up to her microphone, which is pointed down to her from above her head, so she tends to look above her audience.
The deadly quiet church and warm acoustics meant it was impossible to be anything but fully engaged in Marling's performance, which kicked off with the opening suite of four tracks from new album Once I Was an Eagle, all joined together, as they are on the record, to form one epic number.
Other early highlights included Master Hunter, with its sly reference to Bob Dylan's It Ain't Me Babe, and Sophia, the only track from Marling's second to last album, A Creature I Don't Know.
The best section came from 2010's I Speak Because I Can, including the title track, Rambling Man and the song of the night, What He Wrote. Even a little mistake towards the end of the song couldn't take away from the intensity of this ballad's doomed love story, which left many of us scratching our heads at the fact Marling is still just 23 years old.
Wise beyond her years and with an unmistakable magic to her, Marling was as heavenly as the setting.
Earlier, UK singer-songwriter Marika Hackman had blown everyone away in her half-hour support slot, moving between electric and acoustic guitars, her deft playing and interesting effects mesmerising to watch.
