Review: Brooke Fraser @ the basement (28 April 2007)

Been meaning to post this for a while, late last month Fi and I went (with Marty and friends) to see the New Zealand (no Australia, you can’t claim her~!!) singer-songwriter Brooke Fraser at The Basement. All in all, it was quite a enjoyable show, she wasn’t feeling too good; and said that if she ran off stage; it wasn’t us. The show was filmed for the ABC Live at the Basement series (I think its usually on about 11.30pm on Thursdays).

Brooke has quite a fresh stage presence, and was quite talkative on stage, I quite liked her comment about the fake ending (that is: the age-old routine, of going off stage; then getting the audience to make lots of noise before coming on again to play the songs you always intended to finish with). 

Her emotion filled comments before Albertine were quite moving and her performance sent a shiver up my spine. I also got a shiver when she sang Arithmetic, (which was sung by Karen during the signing of the register at our wedding).

As perhaps could be expected; there was a call to action before Albertine. She spoke about how perhaps, after going to Rwanda, she had never come back, and how likewise we had the power to make a difference.

There is a view that artists' “second CDs” tend to disappoint; to my mind, Albertine is a notable exception, growing on me each time I listen to it. The song-writing is the strength, and perhaps speaking more clearly about the Christian life than the her first CD. (I find the best examples to be: Shadowfeet, Love, Where is Your Fire?, and the C.S. Lewis Song). If you haven't yet, I would recommend checking out the CD, and (from what I’ve read) another tour (during August).

For those who are interested here is the setlist; most likely all the songs though not necessarily in the right order. 

Setlist:
// Deciphering Me // Lifeline // Love, Where is Your Fire? // Better // Seeds // Faithful // Hosea’s Wife // Without You // Hymn // CS Lewis Song // Albertine //
// Arithmetic // Shadowfeet //