Live Review: Julia Jacklin, Olympia, Robert Muinos

When the sound of harmonica player/guitarist/singer Robert Muinos expands to utilise all five band members on stage, it becomes so loud that it's impossible to talk amongst ourselves. Kind of like a bogan Vance Joy, Muinos introduces a song he wrote about his mum and thanks us constantly for our applause. It's impossible not to get taken in by Muinos' enthusiasm. 

Next up, Olympia's Olivia Bartley takes the stage solo, bearing a stunning glittery aqua guitar that matches the spectacular suit she's wearing. A drummer and bassist creep out in the darkness to join in on her second song. Bartley introduces Smoke Signals as a song we'll probably know and it's glorious, her incandescent vocal effortlessly scaling great heights. Bartley's sustained notes are flawless and her set contains some killer moments, but there are also some flat sections during which we lose interest.

As we look around there appear to be a few underagers in attendance with their mums as chaperones tonight. The stage is fully set up, but Julia Jacklin is yet to materialise. Amazingly, the front section is as rammed as it would be for a rock'n'roll show and the audience gets restless waiting for Jacklin to hit the stage as the advertised start time of 9.30pm comes and goes. Jacklin and co eventually hit the stage closer to 9.45pm, and all is immediately forgiven. Her aesthetic is adorable and Jacklin resembles a schoolgirl rebelling against hem-length regulations in her plaid miniskirt, ankle socks and black formal shoes with bows. 

Jacklin's voice needs to be experienced live to be fully appreciated (even though it's stunning on record) and her perfect diction draws us into her charming sonic universe. You could hear a pin drop during Eastwick ("But I really hate showing my legs/Even when the Sydney summer begs me"). As fans try to sing along with Leadlight, we sure wish they wouldn't since this song contains high notes that are simply not achievable by mere mortals. It's Jacklin's purity of voice that's her weapon and she mostly performs while gazing off into the distance, up high, as if her audience is perched on a hillside. Jacklin tells us she'll play some songs from her Crushing album tonight, hilariously labels the Forum "Poseidon’s Crypt" and then dedicates Don't Know How To Keep Loving You "for all the couples out there tonight who are about to break up". Jacklin reveals she wrote Turn Me Down while on the Hume Highway driving to Melbourne (and here's another song fans shouldn't attempt to sing along with). 

After saying she doesn't usually say much to introduce When The Family Flies In, Jacklin explains that she will tonight and pays tribute to her late friend Adrian Slattery (Big Smoke) as someone who always encouraged her as a musician, adding that he was the first person she sent her first record to. Jacklin then recalls a "shit gig" she played with him at The Old Bar when she lost her voice and there was no one there (except The War On Drugs – go figure!). Her performance of this song, accompanied only by piano, is utterly compelling – ouch, our hearts! Her between-song banter is super-endearing and we learn about a time when Jacklin got drunk with Ryan, the sound guy, the pair waking up sharing a bed the following morning (albeit fully clothed). 

After Jacklin tells us she now resides in Melbourne, a cheer goes up. The title track from her Don’t Let The Kids Win album brings to mind Joni Mitchell. Jacklin admits that during one particular guitar solo she is always suddenly taken by the absurdity of what she does for a living: basically playing guitar and singing with her friends, which people continue to buy tickets to see. "Anyway, that was cheesy,” she cringes. Her lyrics are impossible to ignore – "I don’t wanna be touched all the time/I raised my body up to be mine" – each song its own evocative short story. Pressure To Party is a jangly delight and the band leave the stage all too soon. 




Jacklin kicks off her encore solo, performing Comfort as we struggle to come to terms with the fact that the show is almost over. "You'll be ok/You'll be alright” – but we're not so sure! Solo and strumming that gold guitar while singing under a single spotlight, Jacklin is holy realm perfection. We leave the venue feeling crushed emotionally while crushing on absolutely everything about Jacklin.