Review: Late Night Orchestra: The Portishead Legacy at Freo.Social

Late Night Orchestra: The Portishead Legacy at Freo.Social
w/ Anton Maz
Friday, June 28, 2024

The Late Night Orchestra is a twelve-piece ensemble of exceptional musicians that mix strings, brass, and orchestral elements with traditional rock drums, guitar and bass, fronted by some of Australia’s finest vocalists. Their goal is to celebrate the most influential and exciting artists of the last 30 years, and tonight Portishead got the treatment as Freo.Social was transformed into a nostalgic '90s-era sonic dreamscape.

Kicking off the jams was everyone’s favourite DJ, Anton Maz. He set the tone early and transported the already-capacity room back in time to the early days of hip hop and trip hop with his favourite '90s bangers. In his own words, “It was great to play a bunch of trip hop I’ve haven’t  played in 20 years!”

The orchestra took their positions in the darkness as the first vocalist, Ben Woolner (Safia), emerged to bring in the first song. Some in the crowd were taken back by a male vocalist singing the part of the very feminine Portishead vocalist Beth Gibbons, but all aversions were dispelled as he effortlessly hit high notes with perfect pitch and grace. His vocal talent is truly amazing.

The big hits, Wandering Star and Roads, followed as the other singers came out one by one to perform their designated songs. Young Brisbane songstress Clea showcased her delicate but captivating voice, Jaguar Jonze appeared hooded for her song, then shed the veil as if an emergence from her recent performance hiatus. Jonze took a moment to share and address her recent health issues with the audience, then affirmed how happy she was to be back performing one of her favourite childhood act’s music. Then it was Papua New Guinea-born, Australia-based artist Ngaiire that brought the swagger, as she oozed confidence and commanded attention with her bold presence and strong vocals.

As this was the first show of the tour and assuming this was the first time it had been performed to a paying audience, the first few songs seemed a little awkward, as if everyone was just finding their feet and singers were overcoming nerves. But as the second half kicked in, everyone had hit their groove and was playing at full potential. This was reciprocated by the audience's energy, with people moving and dancing from the front rows to the very back at the bar.

The backing band were flawless, with special mention to the drummer, who set the groove and kept the beat in the pocket all night and even got his own little drum solo. The strings and brass sections appeared to be WA-hired guns and played with professionalism. It was fun to watch the interplay between front-seated string players as they smiled at each other and gave each other subtle cues.

A different interpretation of arguably Portishead’s biggest hit, Sour Times, took the audience by surprise. But Jonze put on a powerhouse performance and took the sombre song to a new, energetic level.

Clea, who had now eased into the vibe, absolutely nailed Glory Box with a mesmerising performance that was on par, if not more than, the original.

The performance concluded with Ngaiire singing Strangers, a perfect end to a great collection of works done justice by amazing singers and musicians. Keep your eyes and ears open for the next Late Night Orchestra to come back, as this performance was a truly fun night out. Let’s see what they come back with next; it’s sure to be another sell-out hit!

ANTHONY JACKSON

Photos by Linda Dunjey