With their sprightly take on power pop, three piece Bambino Koresh were a great choice to open the night and greet those coming to see two of the key figureheads of nineties alternative music; Evan Dando and Julianna Hatfield.
Both were key singer-songwriters in a post-Nirvana world. In their candid and confessional writing styles, both Dando and Hatfield held up a mirror to those changing times.
Friends on both a professional and personal level for many years, the pair have a strong bond, which was evident in tonight’s show.
With only the two of them onstage with guitars, a well-chosen setlist showcased various tracks from their respective back catalogues stripped back to their bare bones. This was a loose but never sloppy performance.
Opening with a striking version of “All My Life”, the two took turns, like musical ping pong, at singing.
It was refreshing to witness a gig free of the incessant and inane banter from the audience which can sometime compromise what is being presented onstage. This was a crowd who were really there for the music.
“Choose Drugs”, with Hatfield on lead vocals, was a stand-out early in the gig, with Hatfield’s shy and fragile persona really shining through in her performance.
It was also heartening to see Dando at his most relaxed and chilled as he is something of a double-edged sword when it comes to live performance. Many previous visits have been marked by him being negatively affected by drugs and/or alcohol onstage, with a prima donna attitude to match.
There was none of that tonight, with the man many hold as one of the greatest songwriters of the Nineties happy and very chatty, both with his musical partner in crime Hatfield and the venue. The two provide a beautiful symbiotic relationship musically.
It was the better known material from Dando’s back catalogue that really turned the night into a love-in between audience and artist.
“The Outdoor Type” and “Big Gay Heart” had the adoring singing along for all they were worth. It was also an absolute pleasure to hear “Into Your Arms”, one of those ‘too cool to call itself a love song’ love songs.
The tune that denotes the strongest connection between Dando and Hatfield, the still stunning duet “My Drug Buddy”, was an absolute high point, showing the strengths of both artists in microcosm.
Hearing it stripped back illustrated the power of great songwriting and that you don’t need a symphony orchestra behind you to write and perform something powerful and affecting.
The night closed out with an extraordinary version of the classic Velvet Underground track “Pale Blue Eyes”.
This was a warm, intimate and incredibly enjoyable night from two highly gifted artists who mean the world to those many gathered at The Corner; as was shown when the two signed autographs and posed for photos at the merchandise stand with fans after the show.
View Evan Dando & Juliana Hatfield’s performance at The Corner Hotel in our photo gallery here.
