Last night, the team at Adelaide Hills Escape were treated to a performance like no other.
Ukaria certainly lived up to the hype and was 'magical' from the moment we entered the grounds.
We just experienced music in its purest form.The setting was intimate, and felt like we were part of a band rehearsal with global heavyweights of the industry.
The acoustics were incredible and we could hear the performers' footsteps as each walked into the deathly quiet space which felt like a large living room in an upmarket rural home.
Rai Thistlethwayte (Thirsty Merc) was the star of the show with his ultra chilled, laid-back demeanour. He cruised into the space with his big grin, and in that moment...owned the room.
Rai ignored the conservative dress code memo and came 'rockstar casual' in his black t-shirt and leather jacket. His unruly long black hair became an instant talking point, as he was forced to tie it back (due to it getting in his mouth).
'Random Rai' then proceeded to verbalise his every thought and action which simply made us adore him more. It was like looking through a window into the mind of a musical prodigy.
The lead singer of Thirsty Merc ironically became parched and chose to walk off stage, and head to his dressing room to fetch a glass of water. This forced James to patter in his absence and prepare us for the 'quirks of Rai'.
Rai returned in his own time and ripped the foam cover off the microphone and proceeded to educate us on the inner workings of sound amplification . He shared the purpose of the cover is to reduce wind noise when playing outside, "and to avoid singers spitting into it and damaging the inner workings" James interjected . Neither applied tonight, so the cover was permanently removed (after approval from the sound technician).
James explained that no music charts were going to be used, but more so a scrawled set list of hand-selected songs that personally inspire him and will possibly enhance the collaboration. It set the tone for a random and fun evening where unpredictability was high on the agenda.
We were surprised to be treated to a 9 piece band comprising two of James' sons on guitar and double bass, plus a drummer and The Southern Cross string quartet. '
Riffing and scatting' was the order of the day with each performer interpreting the music in their own fashion. James effortlessly switched between instruments which included state of the art trumpets, a trombone and a mini alto saxophone. His trumpet tone was like soft velvet and he conducted the strings with a smooth flowing style which navigated each musician with what to play ( and how) with a clear & simple message.
Not to be outdone, Rai then pulled out his special backpack where the audience was asked to guess what musical instrument was inside. To our amazement a foldable 'travel' guitar was produced that Rai assembled in front of us like he was doing a YouTube tutorial video. The Nashville born guitar was incredible and had us spell bound.
James brought out special guest jazz pianist Marian Petrescu who walked on stage with outstretched arms, and proceeded to kiss James on the cheek. Marian's first notes on the piano were 'clunkers' as he tripped over the small fold back speaker, and used the piano keys to break his fall.
The band had a controlled synergy with an emphasis on sound quality. The talent and flair of each band member was showcased in a series of solos that were seamlessly intertwined across the performance.
Rai taught us about 'looping' as he recorded a vocal drum track through his special mini microphone. He was clearly 'loving his own work' as he bent the keyboard notes as though he was playing a guitar solo.
The audience were included in the jam session with Rai inviting us to clap our hands, and repeatedly sing a repeated line in the verse of a song called 'blood on your cash'. '
Coming Home' was the stand-out song of the night with a brilliant vocal from Rai that had us shaking our heads in amazement.
Crowd favourite Marian returned to the stage in true Romanian style with a small green plastic bag filled with fresh tomatoes for James and Rai. Marian hugged and kissed James on the head and then commandeered the Steinway piano to give us a jazz masterclass.
The entire 'Dreamscape' performance was special because it taught many non musical people the fundamentals of each instrument. It showcased the power of music and how fusion of the jazz, rock and funk genres can create magic.
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