Live Review: Jordie Lane, Old Man Ludecke, Marlon Williams

Marlon Williams provides a great start to the night in the beautiful Thornbury Theatre. The bluegrass/country performer from New Zealand performs to a crowd who sit in silence; not out of politeness, but out of admiration for a man who uses his stunning voice to tell stories. Williams is joined by a fiddle player for a couple of songs, before rounding off his set solo.

It's clear Old Man Ludecke has some fans in the crowd tonight and rhythmic banjo picking together with quirky songs win over the remaining audience members. His lyrics are soaked in irony and humour as the anecdotes roll out. It's easy to imagine Ludecke forging an equally successful career as a professional storyteller if the laughter from the crowd is any indication. Reflecting on his life as a husband and father, Ludecke reveals he has at times flirted with the idea of writing a Nickelback style song to earn a decent amount of money. However, he stumbles across one major problem: “Do you know how hard it is to write a song like Nickelback when you fucking hate Nickelback?” he enquires. We can only imagine.

Jordie Lane takes the stage with a lot to live up to, thanks to his brilliantly chosen support acts. The nearly full room is excited from the start to see this Thornbury native-turned-LA resident return with his new EP Not Built To Last. It's easy to see where Lane's heart lies; after reflecting on his time playing shows around Melbourne he performs a cover of Melbourne singer-songwriter Brendan Welch's I Think I Always Thought. Blood Thinner and Dig Straight Through also fill out the set performed with a backing band that includes a double bass player and a slide/lap guitarist alongside flawless harmonies. Lane's set is full of warmth and energy. A natural on stage, he gives every song the intensity it deserves and the audience reaction reflects this. Continuing the theme of the evening, Lane also partakes in some chit-chat, inviting everyone to his dad's house Sunday morning for some poached eggs.

An encore has Lane performing I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty and a final song that summons Williams and Ludecke back to the stage for a coming together of three of the best storytellers around.