With dimmed lighting, cabaret style seating, and flickering candles, the murmuring crowd could be forgiven for thinking they had stepped back 100 years; back to when Dixieland music first appeared on the scene in New Orleans.
Yet this was merely The Toff In Town, and the small audience had instead gathered to see Melbourne’s The Royal Jelly Dixieland Band in the second of their two residencies.
Getting the evening off to a lively start was fellow Melburnian Charlotte Nicdao. Performing with her Sloth Orchestra, Nicdao entered looking like an excited little girl ready for a party – and ready to party she was!
In a bright orange dress accessorised with what looked like mummy’s beads and a shiny tiara, Nicdao was full of energy from the second she stepped on stage.
She addressed those gathered in a series of high-pitched exclamations and giggles, not unlike what you might hear at a Hi-5 concert. Yet this likeable performer quickly won over any apprehensive punters with her upbeat, fun melodies, at times deep and complex lyrics, and an obvious love of performing.
A former jazz student at the Victorian College of the Arts, now-turned pop singer was especially enthused that night thanks to the imminent arrival of her first EP. (Financed thanks to donations made through crowdfunding website Pozible, recording is due to start in March.)
If the punters listened closely, they would have heard that Nicdao’s cheerful and upbeat set actually contained songs about carefully calculated, unplanned parenthood, and violent revenge. Quite the juxtaposition!
She concluded her performance with a slightly tongue in cheek version of Beyonce and Lady Gaga duet “Telephone”, during which Nicdao and her four piece orchestra managed to get the small, and at times reserved crowd laughing and singing along.
As the lights were again lowered and the room filled to capacity, the eight members of The Royal Jelly Dixieland Band entered the stage. Dressed to the nines in the clothes of the era they so faithfully recreate, the band looked sassy and sophisticated.
Opening with “The Royal Jelly Romp”, followed by “Drinking From The Watering Hole”, the heavy brass section and male vocals, that were more spoken than sung, were akin to that of another Melbourne act, The Cat Empire.
Fresh from touring around the country with a very supportive Clare Bowditch, the band performed tracks from their debut EP and soon to be released album.
Guest vocalist Harriet O’Donnell joined the ensemble on stage, the token female contributing beautiful harmonies and some quirky dance moves. The hot jazz style of this band kicked in and the crowd enjoyed the long instrumental solos, saloon style piano riffs, and lilting jazz melodies.
Just as you’d imagine the jazz bars of early last century to be – kicking in harder as the night wore on – so too was The Toff last Tuesday. When the band introduced their song “Bumblebee”, as the perfect piece for those “who want to get sexy”, the room took a turn and was suddenly filled with young ladies displaying their best dance moves.
As the momentum increased with great tracks such as “Supernatural”, hands were waving and legs were kicking in a combined effort to swing dance; the music had done its job.
The sophisticated jazz and cabaret sounds had accelerated into energetic, infectious and upbeat tunes accompanied by excited squeals and yelps from the newly formed dance floor.
The band, like their support act, finished with a Beyonce cover – performing a unique rendition of “All The Single Ladies”. This was perhaps the only thing that reminded the adoring crowd of what century they were in and ensured the band departed the stage amid cries for more.
