Gig Review: Angie McMahon with Ruby Gill

The Gig: Angie McMahon supported by Ruby Gill

 At The Forum 28-30 May (Sold out so good luck getting a ticket)

4.5 stars

I went to this on spec after being introduced to Angie McMahon through friends a while back. I love her song Slow Mover. I love her voice. I love that she’s a woman singing about all sorts of stuff – often feminine issues, other times, more universal themes such as the environment, Palestine and other things. 

And though they be little, they be fierce. 

I was lucky to score a ticket to this, buying the tickets off a friend who was laid up with COVID, so I was able to join my friend El in going along.  I wanted to get tickets earlier, but she had sold out all three nights – which is saying something for an artist who thought she’d never fill the Forum. 

The crowd was mellow – wonderfully chill. I mentioned to El that I’d never been in a room with so many wolf cuts in my life. Wolf cut? This haircut. Billie Eilish wears it well. As seen on Sydney Road in Brunswick. It was like somebody had transported the population of Brunswick into the 2000 person capacity auditorium. 

A wolf cut, as worn by Fitzroy and Brunswick's finest. 

El and I made it in to see Ruby Gill play - I was keen to see her having looked her up online. 

She didn't disappoint. That wonderful fun, slightly melancholic, rather folky music from this young woman with the heart of a poet. I really enjoyed her set and would hunt her out again. Her song about a room full of white male politicians was particularly apt. I really enjoyed her sense of humour. 

After a short break between sets, Angie McMahon came on.

She was brilliant. 

Starting with her song about Fireball Whisky, it was clear to see she way playing to an adoring crowd who knew her work. 

As a novice, I just loved her sound. If I'm honest I was there because I love her song Slow Mover, but she is SOOOOOOOO much more. 

She played for an hour and half and wonderfully nuanced set of alternative, folk and rock, with intelligent, thoughtful lyric with her soulful voice, it was just magic. El and I had different experiences. Feeling rather claustrophobic on the floor, I moved to the back of the auditorium and listened in the comfort of a bit of space. El stayed near the stage and loved being in with the crowd.

The highlights for me were two moments where she did covers. 

Firstly, she reworked Australian Crawl's Reckless, giving it an environmental bent. It was brilliant. (See link) (Those who know me well know that Reckless has been my favourite song for forty years). 

She then called Ruby Gill back to the stage where they did a stripped back duet of Bob Dylan's Blowing in the Wind. I had tears streaming down my face. It was sublime. 

More songs were play to her adoring audience before finishing off with El's favourite song, Pasta. (See  Today's Song.)

I would happily go and see her again. Angie McMahon is a living treasure. 

It was worth the aches and tiredness that came the next day from going out on a school night. 

Utter magic. 

Today's song: