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Vika & Linda The Regal Tent, Sat 14 Feb As much as the girls are not going to like me saying this, the older they get the sweeter they sound. Not that Vika and Linda Bull are old, it's just with a large chunk of this set taken from their soon to be released new album 'Tell The Angels', a collection made up traditional gospel and spiritual numbers, a style that the sisters have periodically demonstrated so well in the past, I can't help but think they’ve really consolidated their direction. A couple of V&L staples to start: We've Started A Fire, with the reggae backing provided by acoustic guitarist Dion Hirini, and Careful What You Pray For. They then announced the new CD, moving on with Mahalia Jackson's I'm On My Way, which I thought thanks to keyboardist Bruce Haymes musically leaned towards more of a Latino-Salsa feel. This was followed by the title track Tell The Angels, a deathbed song which, with its plaintive and sombre yet peculiarly optimistic piano opening and strong guitar build up towards the middle (and the purity of Linda's vocals) certainly proved an emotional piece for the audience. As did Between Two Shores, an original number sung by Vika and telling the story of the sister's mother and their ties with her homeland of Tonga. Freedom Road, another new track, saw Haymes leave the piano and take up the guitar as the audience were cued to clap along throughout. Who Rolled The Stone Away began with very strong a cappella harmonising and Slow Train, my pick for an obvious single was simply gorgeous. Bringing out a piano accordion for one of the Bull sisters' strongest numbers in terms of both beauty and regret, Grandpa's Song, this apparently was the first time they'd tried this in front of an audience and at one stage during Haymes' piece the girls themselves very near drew to a halt in admiration. No matter how many times I've heard their rendition of Paul Kelly's If I Could Start Today Again, I always think that it was always better than the last time, and this time was no exception. Alternating their set between the spiritual and the joyfully uplifting songs, together with a few 'pop faves' for the fans, this show was without a doubt the best I've seen Vika and Linda, and special mention must be made for the quality of sound within the Regal Tent. I'm sure that like the Spiegeltent in the previous years, this too will prove to be a worthy venue throughout this Fringe Festival. |
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