Sometimes it nice to take in a show without any idea or preconception what the music you are about to hear will sound like. So I was intrigued to go along to The Stone Gallery thursday night and see what musical journey I would go on. Firstly the venue, a 19th Century stone church provided a great setting, different from the usual beer hall that's for sure. Holding roughly 150 people, the event started at 7.30 with Sydney trio Seaworthy up first. They provided a beautiful sound scape with slow, sparse songs full of ebb and flow. Comprising a guitar, piano and some backing of various samples and effects, Seaworthy drew you into their music and painted ambient textures with their patient music. Although the songs lacked epic structure, drifting through the venue, I enjoyed the sounds they were creating.

Their latest CD "Map in Hand" is released on 12k
MP3: Map in Hand Pt 4
MP3: Map in Hand Pt 5

Adrian Klumpes was the headliner and he was previewing tracks from his newest album "Be Still". A one man show, with some electronic samples as backing, he sat down at a grand piano and proceeded to demand everything possible from such an instrument. The first song was my favourite, a twenty minute epic that had about 33 different peaks as Adrian went from barely tickling the keys to launching an all out assault on the piano in front of him. I thought the show tapered off slightly from there on in as some of the shorter songs lacked dramatic structure. Although one song was very interesting as Adrian proceeded with various tools to create all sorts of unique sounds with the piano wires. Also a member of Triosk and Pivot, he is certainly a gifted artist and if you like minimalist sounds that can still provide intensity his recordings are worth checking out. By the way I didn't take many photos as the camera seemed to be intrusive to the music in such a setting.

Be Still is available on The Leaf Label
MP3: Exhale