Seventy people in a room, it doesn’t sound very intimate, but when it’s a Parlour gig, intimacy is the only feeling and it’s experienced by all.
It was a pretty cold Wednesday night, but it was nothing a spicy mulled wine and sea of blankets couldn’t cure. The vibe was cosy, the sound was controlled and it felt like you were in band practice with Alex Gow, aka Oh Mercy. Since returning home to Melbourne (after months of writing and recording in the US) the singer/songwriter performed a very raw, very engaging and a very modest show.
Armed with just a guitar, his quivering falsetto and the occasional orchestral backing by violinist, Cecilia, it was a vulnerable performance, yet Gow appeared fearless, comfortable and amusingly dorky. Jokes were weaved-in and shameless plugs were thrown around but really, everybody just left feeling enlightened.
Between each song, Gow spoke openly about the album and the lyrical inspiration behind each track; ‘I Don’t Really Want To Know’ comes from the pretty relatable feeling of dread when running into an old flame or friend only to discover they’ve found love and have successfully procreated. There was another song, apparently about a nun (?) it was all very lax, a lot of mulled wine was consumed.
But that’s the beauty of a Parlour gig, there are zero fucks given, absolute freedom, creative expression and of course amazing music.
