Review: The Red Tails at Duke of George

The Red Tails at Duke of George
w/ Liv Cartledge
Saturday, September 6, 2025

Live performances by The Red Tails have sadly proven few and far between. Not due to a lack of intent; rather, the numerous other commitments its three individuals deftly juggle.

When Vicki Thorn isn’t out on the road with local luminaries The Waifs, she records and performs in solo mode under the moniker ThornBird. Along with fronting Simon London + the Spirits, you can find him on stage with various colleagues, including Dave Mann, whom he’ll soon be joining at the New Farm New Country festival in Denmark. And Tammy London not only performs in duo mode with husband Simon but has recently taken to the road with the Tammy London Band on the back of a debut single, Mustang.

So, when The Red Tails took to the stage of East Fremantle’s Duke of George last Saturday night, there was not only a degree of serendipity in the alignment of their schedules but also an obvious intent to make the most of the all-too rare opportunity. Tackling a selection of songs from the trio’s self-titled debut album, along with a handful of choice covers and deep dives into their respective back catalogues, the Albany-based collective clearly cherished every musical moment they shared with the capacity audience. And the audience was quick to respond in kind.

Opening the evening was Liv Cartledge. Hailing from Beechworth, Victoria, after Vikki Thorn discovered Cartledge’s music on Spotify, she subsequently invited her to open for The Waifs. And, having ventured west to scope out a potential relocation, Thorn drafted Cartledge into this evening’s lineup. After spending many years performing around rural Victoria with her father, Cartledge won the 2015 edition of the Telstra Road To Discovery talent program. In an all-too-short opening set, the singer-songwriter enchantingly delivered a set brimming with insightful, narrative-driven folk songs.

The gentle acoustic cascade of June told the story of a Sunday afternoon at the Wandi Pub and an encounter with a drunk fan that soon evolved into much more, while Rouge Dog’s sparse guitar lines gave Cartledge’s powerful vocals the opportunity to soar. Having started her musical journey as a ten-year-old busking on the streets of her hometown, Cartledge subsequently relocated to Melbourne, Queenscliffe and Geelong, with 18 Douglas Street offering a heartfelt insight into the time she spent in the latter. Within a poignantly presented set, one of the most touching contributions was Time Sick. Written to mark the tenth anniversary of her father’s suicide, the song was as entrancing as it was inflicting.

The Red Tails opened their set with Slow Talking, from the trio’s self-titled debut album. The song offered a spritely start to the set with the Simon London-led sultry jaunt across Texas accentuated by blasts of harmonica from Thorn. With Thorn next leading the vocalising, Crossroads saw Simon London exchange acoustic for electric guitar to deliver a spritely sonic lament about swapping Utah for Western Australia. Farmer’s Wife then saw Tammy London lead the vocals for a tenderly harmonised ballad about her grandmother.

When Simon London commanded the microphone for a gorgeous rendition of Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come, backed by the gorgeous vocal synchronicity of Thorn and Tammy London, the night was swiftly presented with one of its highlights. Tammy London maintained the musical ascension when she slid behind the piano for Run before Thorn rounded out the impeccable suite of songs with a sublime reworking of The Waifs’ Buffalo. After a gentle and dreamy start, the ensemble built the song into a lush soundscape that underpinned the song’s beautiful sense of longing.

With Mark Gretton backing the trio on drums, Simon London launched into a rendition of a Spirits’ song, My Parent’s House (Highway State of Mind). Thorn and Tammy London swapped verses on Dolly before the latter gave the song a grand vocal ending, and Thorn then launched into Cheyenne, a dusty ballad about a cowgirl from Utah who dreamed of being a ballroom dancer. Blue Boat was a moving blues-drenched tribute to a much-missed old friend and was followed by Thorn’s sublime Bullets and Heartache from her Thornbird album.

After huddling around the microphone for an a cappella rendition of Joy, The Red Tails rounded out the night with the soulful groove of the Curtis Mayfield classic, People Get Ready. With Thorn about to take to the road with The Waifs and Simon and Tammy London leading their respective bands around the South West, this was a much-appreciated interlude for The Red Tails. And with their front porch blend of folk, soul, and blues finding a perfect setting in the atmospheric southern-inspired East Fremantle venue, one hopes their collective careers don’t keep them apart for too long.

BRETT LEIGH DICKS

Photos by Todd Walker