Though having been a part of six bands throughout his musicianship, as well as producing several solo works in that time, Hugo Race seems almost too enigmatic to consider as an iconic figure of Australian music. Having been based in Europe for the majority of his career doesn’t help this status either, though tracing his profession back to the early ’80s finds him as one of the founding members of seminal Australian gothic rock bands Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and The Wreckery. Still, this internationally acclaimed artist is definitely one deserving of more than the small cult following that gathered in the hidden-away back rooms of the Metro’s bar. Joining him was cinematic Italian instrumental outfit Sacri Cuori, who have followed Race all through Europe. Self-proclaimed “romantic villains”, a fantastically fitting title, Sacri Cuori acted as both the support and the main act for the night. After performing their first tune, the Italian quartet thanked the crowd for coming out and explained that it was their first time in Adelaide. The slow tension that built through the dusty sparseness of the instrumentals were courageously melancholic. With an undefinable twist of romance underlying the melodies, the patent abilities of Sacri Cuori held the venue in an aural hypnosis. Joking about surfing, vampirism and tourists in heavy accents, Sacri Cuori concluded their set to an enthusiastic applause. Race’s presence was undeniably captivating. Dressed in full three-piece suit-and-tie, he fashioned the atmosphere of the venue to suit his own aesthetic. Drawn into a dark corner, Race’s deep twisted vocals transformed the setting into a smoke-filled whisky joint that you’d expect from an old-time film-noir. With heavy influences from past projects still clinging to his musical stylings, Race’s delta blues and nightmarish punk tracks were edged with a sinister tone and matched perfectly by the incredible instrumental talents of Sacri Cuori. Launching into “Dopefiends”, Hugo Race Fatalists were immediately commanding in their recital. With a rawness that can only be evoked through the immersive power of the live setting, Race and the musicians from Sacri Cuori crooned effortlessly through the drawling desperation of the 2012 tune. With his voice stained by cigarette smoke and darkened alleyways, Race highlighted his sonic aptitudes with the Bad-Seeds-meet-Unknown-Mortal-Orchestra ballad “Too Many Zeroes”. Holding the audience in a trance, Hugo Race Fatalists filled the room with mesmerisingly sparse harmonies that put the stunning recorded versions to shame. Throughout the grisly “Ghostrider”, Races’ deep baritone vocals acted as a dark caress, and then again as he lead the dazed crowd through the slow romance of “Will You Wake Up”. An encore of Romeo Void’s ‘Never Say Never’ and Springsteen’s almost menacing “I’m On Fire” called an end to the night, with Race and the Fatalists stepping off the stage into the appreciative gathering. Truly one of the great unsung musicians that Australia has to offer, Hugo Race is an artist that holds your hand and leads you through the gritty moodiness of his songs, then comforts you at the exact moment you begin to feel lost. Treated with a congratulatory reverence post-performance, Hugo Race and the musicians of Sacri Couri had definitely exceeded the high expectations of their devoted fans.
