Bat for Lashes at the Sydney Opera House!

Lauren and I arrived back from Sydney last night elated, inspired and above all, thankful, for beautiful music and good people; friends old and new.

The Bat for Lashes Australian debut (at the Opera House no less!) on Friday June 3rd was simply amazing, featuring a set of spindly trees and black and white projections as backdrop to the gorgeous Natasha Khan and band + string quartet doing their beautiful batty business.

Khan spread her joyous spirit, expressed through body and voice, delighting with red duvet (aka doona!) dress and dance moves. The talented band, including Sarah Jones’ mesmerising drums and renowned guitarist Charlotte Hatherley both joining  in on vocals, added to the simultaneously intimate and spectacular feast of sound and vision.

It may sound suspiciously like a gush fest (something we may be guilty of on the show on occasion!) but the unique energy and quality of this music and show created a sense of coming together to contemplate and celebrate the mysteries and everyday experiences of life. And I’ll go as far as saying, for me atleast, summoned a particularly feminine experience…  a kind of ritual that may have existed once in a religious context, a sort of music as church (including some uninhibited dancing for the great song Daniel!)

The encore featuring Khan and strings, allowed her to pay homage to some of her varied influences including Radiohead, Peter Gabriel, & The Cure (who also played as part of the Vivid Festival). It all got a little bit too much for me when they did a version of Wild is the Wind, one of my all-time favourite songs. Khan herself said she was feeling quite emotional and may “have a blubber” which I then proceeded to do myself!

Meeting some Sydney strangers outside the gig- who then kindly took us around the fabulous light installations along the harbour and for a drink at a local pub- they wondered how it could be that many people had never heard of Bat for Lashes- so if you’re one of them, grab the 2 albums and if you ever get a chance to see this gal and her musicians live-grab the opportunity! Truly inspiring stuff.

& A big thankyou to all the people that made us Melbournian/Ballaratians so welcome on our Sydney adventure. We were also lucky enough to be invited to see young Manchester  band Wu Lyf at Sydney community radio FBI‘s new performance venue, another special experience.

Stay tuned for our little film about the trip!

Big love x