Julia Stone

"I totally would play 'Big Jet Plane' but I don’t know the chords."

Understated, funny and gently self-deprecating, Julia Stone captivated a full house at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre last night, proving once again that she has more than enough talent to hold her own without her barefoot brother in tow. The Newport girl who has yet to hit 30 breezed between older, well-known favourites such as ‘And the Boys’, and new solo material such as the ethereal yet powerful ‘Let’s Forget All The Things That We Say’, the opening tune for her new album By the Horns.

Highlights included darker, more ominous tracks such as ‘By The Horns’ and ‘It’s All Okay’, packed with raw, angry energy, indicating greater depth and new, exciting directions for the Aria award winning singer. Stone shared the stage with a five-piece all-star ensemble including members of Cat Empire and Tinpan Orange, who managed to throw in snatches of everything from violin to trumpet, with strong percussion lending a more solid, energetic beat to her sometimes fragile voice.

Admittedly, most of Stone’s tracks are centred around a common theme (unrequited love, being in love, troubled love...) which can sometimes border on the sickly sweet, but don’t be fooled. Stone’s musical (if not lyrical) diversity showcases an impressive vocal range and considerable song writing talent. Grabbing a trumpet and effortlessly adding jazzy riffs between verses, Stone makes being musically brilliant look like child’s play. Which, of course, for the daughter of parents who were performing as a folk duo when she was still a twinkle in her father’s eye, it probably was.

Altogether, lovely stuff. Catch Julia Stone on her Australia-wide tour throughout September.