Live Review: Jamie Payet & The Family Collective, Danny Stain

Moving to South Oakleigh Club from the Oakleigh Carnegie RSL earlier this year, The Caravan Music Club has stayed alive. Over the last ten years, the venue has been vigilant in its support of the local music scene, hosting acts such as Ross Wilson, Don Walker, Daryl Braithwaite and Mental as Anything.

A guitar slinging teen in his youth, support artist Danny Stain plays an intimate, simple set of country songs. Performing with bassist Helen Stewart, Stain jokes that the reason behind their chemistry on stage is, "I've had a crush on Helen since I was 15," before revealing how big her husband and son are. 

With a #3 hit on the Australian country music charts, Working Overtime, Stain delivers the virtuoso guitar sound that earned him well-deserved praise on his debut album, In Another Time. 

Launching his latest EP, All Or Nothing, to a packed room full of friends, family and new fans, Jamie Payet & The Family Collective waste no time in bringing high energy levels right from the get-go.

The opening barrage of Vegas, All Or Nothing and Telephone are a barn-storming combination of blues and rockabilly that have their roots deeply entrenched in the American south. 

Dedicating the show and EP to his dearly departed Grandpa, (even grafting a picture of him on his guitar), Payet explains the inspiration behind the title track, All Or Nothing: "If it sounds like The Rolling Stones, that's where I got it from - just in case they sue me!"

Slowing down the pace, things get a little more sombre as Payet sings songs about regret (Til It's Gone), Melbourne's poverty crisis (Time) and a tribute to fallen friend and collaborator, John Murphy (Argue). The emotion in the air is palpable at this point.

Picking things right back, Payet and band launch into an extended blues jam, Trouble, which features a solo from every member of Payet's extraordinarily talented band, The Family Collective. This also lends to Payet's own skills as a performer and in his choice of such fine musicians to collaborate with.

Visibly coughing during the set, Payet reveals he was hospitalised a few nights earlier from chronic asthma and almost had to cancel the gig. Soldiering on like a trooper, he still manages to bring a joy to the performance that is simply infectious to watch.

The best is yet to come though, with a rendition of Joe Cocker's famous Beatles cover, With A Little Help From My Friends, which brings the house down, and the audience up, to rapturous applause.

Fittingly closing with a tribute song to his Grandpa, Thank You, Payet is the genuine article and his sincere appreciation of everyone there is a testament to the overwhelming support he has received in his solo endeavours.