There should be no doubt that Xavier Rudd is one of the most talented musicians in the world. He is also a voice of conscience and an advocate for social change and sustainable living. And I like it when he's fired up about those things.
A few contextual elements about the gig headlined by Xavier Rudd at the Big Top on Friday will paint the scene. It wasn’t long after sundown, when Nahko and Medicine for the People got the good vibes flowing. Hand and kit drums, acoustic guitars and bass, and a stage-full of charisma, and this band was taking people for a ride. For an early start on a Friday, the show was considerably full for Nahko and his troupe. They looked and sounded like they could feel the love.
Nahko has the presence on stage of a spiritual leader singing healing songs to his flock. His want to promote cultural understanding and harmony is explicit in his lyrics and discourses with the audience. He takes visible pride in his American Indian heritage, wearing long-black hair to his back with sides shaved to the skin, traditional imagery tattooed across his body and exposed scalp. It’s all part of the scene.
The drumming sets a vivid rhythm and people sing and chant incantations along to the singer’s lead. After we are all well and truly mesmerized, the opening act exits with some well-wishing remarks. It’s difficult not to think of this band more as tribe or some healing cult from the jungle.
Donovan Frankenreiter exuded a slightly different vibe when he sat with an accompanying guitarist on stage. He had his own followers in the crowd, too, a good portion of whom, you could hazard a guess, were young girls. The professional soul surfer has a dedicated following in Australia, having toured here many times in the past. With nine albums to play from, Frankenreiter spread the track list around. In tie-dye shirt and early-settler style hat with feather, the singer did little to dispel any surfer-stereotypes. His music is also explicitly surfer-esque. Tracks like “Shine”, “You” and “Just Love” from his 2012 release, are the kind of chill-out songs designed for a beach campfire. The crowd reaction seemed to be reserved for “It Don’t Matter” and “Free”; two classics from 2004.
Joined on stage by drummer Bobby Alu, Rudd opened with a song from his latest album Spirit Bird. The two drummers, with Rudd also on guitars and yidaki, or didgeridoo to most Australians, painted a hypnotic rhythm. These were soft and tender folk songs. The smell of weed wafted through the crowd as security attempted to put out spot fires. Rudd is undoubtedly a mellow fella, and his blend of folk music usually reflects his calm inner-peace. That said, he can also blast an audience with more raucous tunes like "To Let", "Energy Song" and "Blackwater", but sadly, none of those songs were played on this night. Instead, the mellow scene lasted into the night, until the closing song of the first set when Alu tried to drive Rudd a little higher with a thumping drum solo. After a few sideways glances from Rudd, Alu exited.
Rudd continued solo,for an extended encore, playing guitar, drums and yidaki at once. The tempo lifts. It’s remarkable how Rudd can make music that could be played at an electro festival with his wooden instruments and a back beat. With blue and white lights flashing, Rudd’s beat kicking and the resonance of the yidaki rumbling through the venue, there is a sense the gig is about to take off. But after each rousing song like this, Rudd immediately brings the tempo back down to a milder folk scene. The fire in the belly never seemed to burn hot.
It’s obvious from the audience reactions that Rudd’s mantra of peace and harmony is enough to take fans to a special place. Yet, it seemed there was something missing from this gig. The scene was painted early by Nahko and Medicine for the People, who perhaps played the set of the night, but the colour soon blurred like Frankenreiter's shirt, and the passion replaced by contentment.