Live Review: Kaki King, The Little Stevies

The Little Stevies have been kicking about for a few years now, and tonight's stripped back performance proves why they're more than deserving of the support slot for Brooklyn's inimitable Kaki King.

Sibylla and Bethany Stephen weave vocal harmonies together effortlessly on tracks such as Sister, and tonight deliver every song with nary a note or plucked string out of place. The lighting at the Corner perfectly sets the tone for the duo, at times giving Bethany's curls the angelic halo treatment. One cannot help but liken the duo's vocals to those of The Clouds, another group known for creating harmonies that when listened to individually are lovely, but when paired are golden.

Almighty Friend is another standout, both lyrically and melodically, and is just one more tune that highlights the maturity and intimacy these sisters combine in their honest, lovely tunes.

Kaki King walks out to a devoted crowd and from the get go owns everyone in the room. A curious mix of nervous energy and focused virtuosity keeps the crowd enthralled, with many an instrumental track in the mix.

King's guitar tech gets worked tonight, as a new instrument is brought out after practically every song. Watching King play is mesmerising to say the least, her fingers dancing across the fretboard in a blur that attests to a true artist's dedication to their craft.

King repeatedly showers the audience with praise for their attentiveness, which she more than repays in kind by giving what could only be described as an amazing guitar clinic. From seven string guitars to acoustics with cutting edge synth technology, King makes each one seem as if they were custom designed specifically for her.

Charming to say the least, King waxes between songs about gay marriage reform in the States, where she was married last year, to wry musings on Jon Butler's artistic choices in turning a microphone into a grenade for a gig poster when the pair toured France together.

Bowen Island, taken from King's 2012 release, Glow, utilises a makeshift Japanese koto guitar, which she says is a more cost effective way to enjoy the oriental sound that would normally set one back somewhere in the ballpark of twelve thousand bucks.

By the encore's end, King leaves the audience with the instrumental Playing With Pink Noise to bounce around their brains, having delivered a world-class acoustic performance. Though her name might bring to mind some sort of mens' workwear wholesaler, there was nothing beige about Kaki King tonight.