A night of warming music set in the beautiful former café space of Common Ground Project.
Sofar Sounds is a globalised initiative determined to create intentional spaces where music and arts matter. Its purpose resides in bringing artists and audiences together through unique live music experiences in surprising spaces – and it brought the poetic Didirri to us over the weekend.
We’re lucky enough to have a Sofar branch operating out of Geelong, establishing one-of-a-kind live music offerings around the broader region.
On Saturday May 31 this very expression took place – a night of warming music set in the beautiful former café space of Common Ground Project as the cold, early winter night air tightened around us.
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The evening was headlined by the notable and ever-mesmerising Didirri, supported by three local bands and artists who are only just emerging into the live performance space. Rounding out the bill was Star Mailee, Gone Bananas and Motel Neptune.
Mailee serenaded the audience to the setting of the sun, as vibrant purple, pink and orange hues layered the silhouettes of gum trees to the 17-year-old singer/songwriter’s original music. Resembling an early Julia Stone and showcasing flecks of the ballad-writing Missy Higgins, Mailee’s vocal range and steady chord progressions remained consistent throughout her performance.
Next up saw Gone Bananas, a local-four piece consisting of 15–17-year-olds, set upon the stage to perform a series of covers. They picked up the energy with an opening rendition of Dominic Fike’s Babydoll, ebbing into an extended version of House of The Rising Sun, filled out with a guitar solo. Showcasing their eclectic interest in music and broad ranging skillset as a new band, their set covered varied sonic terrain.
The final of the support acts made to the stage – local three-piece Motel Neptune. Comprising of three VCE students, one of which being Star Mailee, the band’s chemistry became apparent early on. Rhythm changes aplenty and songwriting duties distributed amongst the trio the layering of vocals and instrumental work was polished and refined. Despite embarking upon some sort of hiatus to focus on their studies, the future looks bright for this group.
Finally, it came time for Didirri to perform. He seemed to be defying the gripping chill of the winter night adorned in a floral short-sleeved shirt, and yet the storytelling that flowed in the room offset the plummeting temperature. Flowing between ambient guitar chords with accompanying anecdotes of how certain songs came to be and serenading the room, Didirri’s presence and performance was entirely captivating.
New songs were shared, alongside classics we’ve come to love over the years, all threaded together by songs from his most recent album, Caught In The Act. Pulsating tones with subtle overdrive constantly emitted from his guitar that often allowed for the flux of crescendo and variation, the night that was seemed the most apt setting to witness Didirri live.
So, as we draw nearer to the depths of mid-winter wrapped in wool and fleece, it’s nights like this that warm the heart and stir the soul.
It was a hopeful night for the future of local music and a salve to a community on the precipice of short days and ambient cold.
