Jack Rabbit Slim’s
Saturday, September 24, 2016
On Saturday night, Sydney singer-songwriter Montaigne astounded the crowd in the diner-esque styled bar Jack Rabbit Slims. From the get go, the show was very theatrical and it was evident Montaigne is a proficient performer, striking the balance with a humble and confident stage presence.
The set opened with booming piano as I’m A Fantastic Wreck streamed out with experimental pop finesse. Montaigne, A.K.A Jessica Cerro has a voice that reminded me of singers Kate Miller-Heidke and Marina Diamandis, with her vocal range having the ability to change from almost operatic highs to lower tones that blended seamlessly with the band.
Montaigne interacted with the crowd and explained this was her first tour in which the audience were singing along to her songs. There was quite an ‘80’s aesthetic to Montaigne’s style and sound with added avant garde quirks.
Aside from the one guy that vomited everywhere, the crowd was in good spirits and hollered for an encore after Montaigne closed with Because Of You. She obliged and proceeded to play a four song encore, picking up an acoustic guitar for the first time throughout the night. The set finished on a sweet note with a song that Montaigne referred to as a lullaby.
KYRA SHENNAN
