REVIEW: THE HUNTER EXPRESS SINGLES LAUNCH - NEWMARKET STUDIOS, NORTH MELBOURNE (19/10/2017)
Recording studios are actually my favourite place to go to as a musician. I love the smell, I love the slick finesse look of the mastering studio, the desks and if I wasn't working 5 jobs, I would be a sessions singer, HANDS DOWN.
So, I was very excited when Brad Ellis aka The Hunter Express told me that the venue for his show was at the very place he recorded his album.
I was also so excited to see Lauren O'Meara's artwork in the vicinity of Newmarket Studios. Upon arrival, a GORGEOUS display of Lauren's work was on display for all spectators and it created such a nice, homey vibe to the event.
What was so cool about this venue was the setup for the performers and for the audience. It was as if we were watching The Hunter Express record his album right there and then with engineer, Callum Barter in the studio testing all the levels and recording as we go.
Another really cool element was that the audience can watch the show from different rooms of the studio. Punters could grab a beanbag and lie down in the same room as the band with a beer in hand, or sit with Callum in the studio and watch in the eyes of the engineer, or in other parts of the studio. This interactive element was such a cool experience for us!
Jess De Luca was up first with her soothing melodies. Introducing us to some fresh tunes which will appear on her forthcoming EP, to be released soon, a notable track was Lucifer. What I loved about her set was her honesty and vulnerability coming through as her acoustic tunes and vocals were a perfect mix, you don't need anything more. I am definitely looking forward to seeing her debut EP in fruition.
The man of the hour, The Hunter Express was so excited to jump on stage, you could feel the excitement! Performing with such class, the audience got an exclusive listen to the tracks that will appear on his forthcoming self-titled album, to be released on November 17. Of course, he played new singles, I Really Like Holding Your Hand and Cool and the audience kept smiling and smiling throughout the set.
What I love about The Hunter Express is his ability to tell stories through song as they bring such a personal connection to the audience. For me, the introduction of spoken word really touched me with one song specifically talking about memories of Brad's father and when he bought his first guitar. The song also spoke about the financial hardships of music but we do it for love and it emphasised the passion and love that we as musicians have for our work.
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I am so excited for the world to hear the upcoming debut album and I hope you will be as well. It has been a pleasure working with Brad on this release and I wish him all the best with his upcoming Parlour tour around VIC/NSW and the album release.
Written by Jena Marino