They could have played forever. They didn't have to stop. They had my heart, my lungs, my everything. This was too short. Too brief. But, oh what memories. Memories of song, of songs, of singing. The Avett Brothers are living and breathing song. Every musical note is designed for one thing only. To make and create the song. The melody. It is pure and honest. No artifice. Only heart and bone. Blood and sweat. Some tears.

Monday night at The Factory we met The Avett Brothers and they brought us much joy. In this, their first Australian visit, they charmed us. Captivated and slew us. "Go To Sleep" was a perfect opener. Its rollicking melody was apt and gave us all a jolt of joy. The set up for this song was the routine set up for most of the night as well. Scott Avett on banjo and lead vocal. Seth Avett on acoustic guitar. Bob Crawford on stand-up bass and Joe Kwon on cello. Let me just say that all four men are instinctive and distinctive musicians. Each plucked or bowed string played with a deft and very human touch. For some tunes keyboards and drums were used, but only sparingly. After a great opening the show never left up. Whether it was a great ballad like "Shame" or a gentle tune like "Backwards With Time" or the stand up and shout "Paranoia in B-flat Major" it was all pretty great. But there were definite highlights. A personal favourite in "Famous Flower of Manhattan" was touching and evocative. For "The Ballad Of Love and Hate" Seth was left alone on stage and I am sure he moved many people to tears with a stark rendition of this great song. "Tear Down The House" was dark and painful, another reminder of how this band can open the door to your heart. Then exquisitely the set was closed with "I And Love And You" which was as close to perfection as a live song can be. Scott Avett, I am currently in love with this man, made us believe the power of these three little words.

Gratefully we received an encore, consisting of the powerful "The Weight Of Lies" before a howling jam of "Old Joe Clark" and a Led Zeppelin cover. Infused in this ending was a banjo solo and a mean bass solo. Oh, by the way banjo should be a mandatory instrument in each and every band. The odd timbre of this instrument tickles the heart in ways unknown. So, this night was special in just so many ways. The Avett Brothers have a direct line to the heart. A knack for writing direct and affecting lyrics. Voices that float and make the hairs stand up. A genuine and considerable love for the music they create and for the audience that takes the journey with us. If you haven't made the journey yet, don't worry there's time to get on board.

Set List
Go To Sleep
Head Full Of Doubt, Road Full Of Promise
Shame
Backwards With Time
Left On Laura, Left On Lisa
Wanted Man
January Wedding
Distraction #74
The Perfect Space
Famous Flower Of Manhattan
Paranoia in B-flat Major
The Ballad Of Love And Hate
Slight Figure Of Speech
Tear Down The House
Kick Drum Heart
I And Love And You

The Weight Of Lies
Old Joe Clark>How Many More Times