It’s residency gig number three for Melbourne ska/soul/blues/gospel group Clairy Browne and the Bangin’ Rackettes and tonight they’ve brought along some very special guests to support.
Mojo Juju opens the evening’s proceedings of fiery tunes; the blues rocker managing the perfect balance of self-deprecation and relatable anecdotes of messy love affairs with the help of her sparse guitar playing and rasping voice.
The Banging Rackettes join the stage for a Leon Payne cover (“I don’t know what it is about me and songs about murder…” Juju claims shrewdly), as they make the smooth transition onto the next short performance by soul star Stella Angelico.
Harry Angus (of The Cat Empire and his own solo fame) also has some stage time with a troupe of very talented friends indeed. A massive instrumental piece, highlighting each of the players’ mind-blowing talent, invites contagious smiles from both the band and the dancing crowd.
“Take Me Out to the Ballgame” receives a jazzy twist on the original and garners more laughter from the crowd as the band slyly slips it into the set. There’s so much fun being had on stage and it only surges forward as Angus and co. play a mournful song about a hard-done-by gigolo.
A cheeky tempo change ensures the grooving crowd really gets moving until, “an expected lull, a time for reflection/No giga-highs, only giga-lows,” drawls saxophonist Darcy McNulty, struggling to keep a straight face.
Thomas Grogan spins some seriously groovy vinyl in the breaks between bands; the audience have no chance of a break themselves as he effortlessly fluctuates between classics from eras gone by to keep the sweltering insides of the Toff dancing.
The venue tonight is like walking into a high school dance, with gold and silver tinsel draping the walls and microphone stands, while the disco ball casts soft spots upon everybody. Clairy Browne would be crowned the queen of any formal; as soon as that fiery mistress opens her mouth, she and her Bangin’ Rackettes’ commanding presence enthrals and intimidates all present.
It’s difficult to look away from the perfectly synchronised Rackettes – the three-piece, all-female backing vocalists who harmonise like there’s no tomorrow – and the impossibly beautiful Browne but a huge hand needs to be given to the five men making the music.
They stand meekly behind the women though, as it’s definitely about girl power tonight and Browne’s versatile voice – enjoyably loud over the mix – takes us through soul, rock and huge gospel pieces. If you’ve heard the sultry, dominating debut album Baby Caught The Bus from the 9-piece, it only gets better live.
An impressive and fast-paced cover of Salt-n-Pepa’s “Whatta Man” continues to bring down the house until the all-too-soon encore of hit single “Love Letter” literally pulls some to their knees. It’s explosive, it’s sexy, and it’s everything you expect plus more.
Clairy Browne and the Bangin’ Rackettes take no prisoners and have women (and men) wishing they were one of them and men (and women) feeling guilty for having adulterous thoughts in the company of their partners.
– Anne Louise-Hill
