Michelle Zauner is an artist who has consistently delivered music that is palpable and emotionally rich for over a decade now. As the heart and frontman of the band Japanese Breakfast, Zauner and co visited Melbourne for the first time in eight years as part of RISING arts festival. Playing a majority of tracks from their latest LP, For Melancholy Brunettes, the entire band performed effortlessly in simpatico, matching each other’s energy and, most importantly, highlighting Zauner’s sharp songwriting and illustrious instrumental compositions.
For a casual concert-goer, Japanese Breakfast’s live performance is delightfully vibrant and pleasant. The acoustics at Port Melbourne Industrial Centre for the Arts (PICA) were excellent and all the instruments and vocals sat in their appropriate sonic fields, creating a very complete sound. For die-hard fans, I believe that the effect goes even deeper. To hear Zauner’s level of vocal control and clarity while prancing around to her undeniable charm was beautiful.
Many Japanese Breakfast songs detail Zauner’s personal experiences with loss, loneliness and longing. Somehow, hearing gut-wrenching lines from ‘Body Is A Blade’ or ‘The Woman Who Loves You’ sung by Zauner with full commitment and a smile on her face hurt even more.
Every member of the band was handling multiple instruments. Whether it was saxophonist Adam Schatz who switched to synths or drummer Craig Hendrix swapping to guitar, the transitions between songs and roles in the band was fluid. Guitarist Peter Bradley was particularly enjoyable to watch, swaying to songs and playing as if he knew them intimately (perhaps not surprising given he has been Zauner’s spouse since before their debut LP).
The setlist was cleverly curated with barely a moment that stalled. The opener, ‘Here Is Someone’, set the tone with a slow crescendo before cruising into more songs from the new album. The live renditions of songs like ‘Slide Tackle’ and ‘Posing In Bondage’ from Japanese Breakfast’s previous album were mixed in a very refreshing way and made this reviewer want to revisit their studio counterparts immediately, to re-jog a fond memory.
The lighting design for this show was also a key point of interest. A major stage element (a bed-sized clam shell) could not be implemented as part of the show, so the set became a little simpler than the one seen on the North American leg of the tour. Despite that, clever and varied lighting design helped to keep the concert engaging and create a sense of dynamism. Everything worked in harmony to bring the most sincere and unfiltered emotions inherently contained in the songs to the surface.
Read: Theatre review: Legends (of the Golden Arches), RISING, The Lawler, Southbank Theatre
For a band that has played massive festivals and been nominated for multiple Grammys, it felt like Japanese Breakfast brought the same amount of love to this show as they would have at Glastonbury. Zauner continues to excel at being a true force of creativity, proving again that she is one of those rare, true artists that we are lucky to get once or twice a generation.
Japanese Breakfast performed for one night only on 5 June at Port Melbourne Industrial Centre for the Arts as part of RISING Festival.
