The chore of having to actually get to Cockatoo Island could have potentially dampened the experience of the music events, which is ironic seeing as the slogan of the festival was “Transport Yourself”. As all the regular ferry services were cancelled and replaced by a private charter running to a different timetable, with tickets that needed to be purchased separately on the island. Anyone familiar with their local ferry timetable that turned up had to wait another half an hour before the charter replacement arrived.
The island itself made up for any transport annoyances because once you did arrive you were reminded what a great space it is. As a part of the Cockatoo Island Film Festival there were a number of stalls and various places to eat, utilising the nooks and crannies of the island.
The opening acts, although presumably talented musicians, betrayed their inexperience with the way they carried themselves on stage. Martha Marlow had a great voice, but her habit of chatting with the audience was confusing for anyone further back from the stage who couldn’t hear the questions being asked by the front row. The result was that she quite often sounded like she was talking to herself between songs.
Similarly for SURES, their music sounded good, but they held themselves a little awkwardly and weren’t able to achieve any connection with the crowd. Having said that though these are definitely artists to look out for in future as they grow more comfortable performing in the live setting.
To turn attention to the main act for the evening, Matt Corby was – as expected – outstanding. Looking dapper in a slick black suit, he had an incredibly thoughtful stage presence. He appears far older than his twenty-one years and it is obvious he has spent quite some time on a stage.
This particular Film Festival show was his last in Australia before making his way on a tour across Europe and the United Kingdom, impressively (and not for the first time) many of these forthcoming dates have already sold out.
Corby’s folksy and whimsical sound is strengthened by the power of his voice, his much loved single ‘Brother’ being the perfect example of his scintillating, expressive tone.
You couldn’t really have wanted for a better setting, by the water overlooking the city with a Sydney Harbour background. It was the perfect relaxed environment to showcase Corby’s talents.
