Broad
Her Majesty's Theatre
Sat 25 August


With a great idea ("So is communism," my date says dryly) and some great talent in the five songwriter line-up, Broad (#3) was a fabulous showcase of songs. Beginning as a choir of angels with The Beatles' Because, which then seamlessly swung into Thank You from New Buffalo's Sally Seltmann, Broad commenced in gorgeous style. I did have tingles down my spine, brought on by her soft, cute pop vocal and well sprung melody. So it was a bit of a shock when wee dynamo r'n'b singer Jade MacRae hit her straps with a fully (over)produced backing track of her song Got It Made. It followed the format of street level questioning evident in more conscious r'n'b genres, and proved the concept of Broad as being five women songwriters from five very different genres. The ante was upped when the curtain lifted during a song of hers recorded by Jimmy Barnes, Gonna Take Some Time, to have a three-piece rock band kick in, lead by James Black.

Doing the introductions was instigator, backer and Broad performer Deborah Conway, and she acted as MC throughout the night. She is a great talker and a gallant woman for pursuing the discussion of the songwriting experience amongst a getting to know each other kind of vibe. Unfortunately it was a little forced, and I am unsure whether Anne McCue's slightly oblivious persona or Deborah Conway's earnest deep questioning of the four other women was the cause. It did throw up some sweet moments, such as the revelation that when recording her album in her shed at home Sally Seltmann would dress up to get into the mood, but in general most songs were winners and they could have spoken for themselves.

All three of Abbe May's quirky acoustic songs were charming, and she also commanded the theremin for a couple of the New Buffalo tracks. Anne McCue's southern rock style lent itself very well to the group's Tom Petty cover I Won't Back Down, which closed the evening, and while her guitar licks were pretty good and her one stage vagueness endearing, her songs were a somewhat derivative of the LA/Nashville scene she has been working since departing Australia. A startling highlight however, was Conway losing her guitar and standing up for one of the great Australian singles, Man Overboard, which she penned with her band Do Re Mi back in 1982. An all out everyone-take-a-verse version of Dylan's Got To Serve Somebody was the penultimate song on a good show. Do away with the interval and some chat, Broad could be a great show.

Narelle Walker