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Willard Grant Conspiracy + Aviator Lane Grace Emily Hotel, Thurs 26 Jan Given that it had been a scorcher, and Australia Day to boot, it was reasonable to expect a modest gathering for Willard Grant Conspiracy's first ever Adelaide show at the Grace Emily. Thus I was pleasantly surprised by the turnout that swelled as the show progressed. When Aviator Lane came on there were but a few people scattered in the back room, but the numbers soon doubled, then doubled again. By the end of their set the Adelaide three-piece had a large, impressed audience. It was the first time I'd seen Aviator Lane play live and I was impressed by their enchanting sound, laid-back delivery and simple folk-pop arrangements. An excited audience welcomed Willard Grant Conspiracy to the stage and singer/guitarist Robert Fisher and violinist Josh Hillman took to their stools. Fisher joked that the band had as many as thirty-five members and usually they had between six and thirteen on stage when touring, but this was their first gig as a duo. No one seemed disappointed, and the sparse renditions of the songs suited both the venue and the night. Fisher added to the intimate mood with short anecdotes and stories between songs. The crowd adored it but, hey, any story that begins, "The first time I was committed to a mental institution..." is bound to hook an audience. Fisher and Hillman played many songs from the band's back catalogue and a few new songs too, and in keeping with the relaxed feel of the night, they didn't have a play list. The night took them where they wanted to go. That too, it turns out, was a touring first. Fisher's baritone filled the room and Hillman's violin layered haunting tones through The Trials Of Harrison Hayes, St John and Mary Of The Angels. They played plenty of 'Regard The End' material (The Ghost Of The Girl In the Well, Day Is Passed And Gone, Rosalee, Fare Thee Well), with The Suffering Song saved for a glorious, gloomy finale. One highlight was Fisher's a Capella rendition of Known By The Way That He Carried His Load, but every song was special. There may have been just the two men on stage, but this stripped-back version of Willard Grant Conspiracy delivered everything a fan of the band could have wanted.  |
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