Reviewed on Friday March 12
Marlon Williams and The Yarra Benders took the Twilight At Taronga stage as the sun set behind them. Williams’ honeyed drawl was bolstered by mournful harmonies in set opener ‘Strange Things’, before ‘Silent Passage’ pulled the heartstrings and ‘Heaven For You, Prison For Me’ showcased mournful violin, woven into the melancholy self-reflection of its lyrics.
Williams then played ‘Bloodletter’ solo, his vocals rising to a level akin to a less affected Jeff Buckley, before getting the band back for ‘After All’, a rollicking dive bar jam. After sliding easily from slow-crawl ballads to raucous dancefloor-fillers, Williams’ set ended on a bluegrass note.
Following a brief interval came C.W. Stoneking, ever the showman dressed in white linen with a gold Jazzmaster slung across his shoulder. The legendary Linda and Vika Bull lent their seamless vocals and perfectly synced choreography to each song, echoing the chorus of opener ‘How Long’ and wailing as they swayed to ‘The Zombie’. Stoneking introduced each song in his trademark dustbowl drawl, leading the audience through an odyssey of his songbook, from ‘Tomorrow Gon’ Be Too Late’ and ‘Mama Got The Blues’ to ‘I’m The Jungle Man’, which was given a new richness by his brass section, and then ‘Jungle Lullaby’ – dedicated to “the animals” – which wouldn’t have been out of place on a paddleboat in Mississippi.
Stoneking’s humour was on display too. Before playing ‘On A Desert Isle’, he joked: “I wrote this one down in the supermarket when I was after a chocolate bavarian… it was ‘On A Dessert Aisle’ first.” He then proceeded to pack the dancefloor with ‘The Jungle Swing’ and ‘Good Luck Charm’.
The wonder of a Stoneking show is his ability to transport you to another time and place, and that, combined with tongue-in-cheek commentary and rich storytelling, always makes for an unforgettable evening.
