Holly Throsby & Kieran Ryan perform @ the Sound Lounge

Last Friday night I went along to the Sound Lounge at the Currumbin RSL to take in the sounds of talented Australian singer/songwriters, Kieran Ryan and Holly Throsby. As opposed to the beer soaked carpets of most music venues, the Sound Lounge has a laid back sophisticated vibe which makes for a more intimate experience between performer and audience.

Kieran Ryan (right) of Kid Sam

First up was Kieran Ryan, one half of the Triple J Award nominated duo Kid Sam. Ryan is a natural storyteller whose lyrics and delivery stay with you long after he has put down his guitar. Unaffected and modest atop the stage, Ryan captivated the crowd with his soft, intricate guitar playing and sincere, melodious vocals. Amongst a host of Kid Sam favourites, the young artist originally from the New South Wales mid north coast, uncovered a hand full of new songs that promise to be well received on a future Kid Sam album or possible solo debut.

Holly Throsby. Photo by Yanni Kronenberg

After a bit of a false start due to technical difficulties, Holly Throsby and band mates charged head first into a solid mix of songs drawn from her three albums. Radio favourites Thing’s Between People, Making a Fire and Shoulders and Bends had the crowd nodding their head appreciatively. Besides Throsby’s obvious song writing talent and ease with which she performs, the other highlight of the set was the musicianship of her fellow band members, Bree Van Reyk and Jens Birchall. Van Reyk’s drumming is confident with an eclectic use of percussion whilst Birchall proves himself a superb multi-instrumentalist, switching between the bass, cello, and mandolin without flaw and providing deep, thick back up vocals to complement Throsby’s charming, feminine tone. Throsby’s years of on stage performance show with the relaxed confidence she employs, openly conversing with the crowd and addressing the sound man and her bandmates jokingly. The audience was treated to a taste of Throsby’s latest offering See!, a children’s album released this year. For any parents of young children it sounds like a refreshing break from the Wiggles and Hi 5. Upon finishing the set, Throsby was willed back on stage for a final solo performance, after which the grateful crowd picked themselves up off the floor for another drink at the bar.

See! is available for purchase from the ABC shop.