Rising Festival, Beth Gibbons, Hamer Hall 1st June 2025 #REVIEW

The blue-coloured- light drenched the stage, signifying the trademark colour of Rising. Beth Gibbons is here as part of Rising festival to showcase her solo album, Lives Outgrown, with a seven- piece band of musicians. Gibbons last toured Melbourne 15 years ago with proponents of trip hop, Portishead, appearing at Harvest Festival. There she was bathed in the golden afternoon rays of sunlight, but now she’s obscured by stage lights in alternating hues. Her musicians are backlit and positioned either side of the stage in groups of three and the keyboardist is in the centre behind Gibbons.

Gibbons cuts an elusive figure, clad in black; her face is obscured by shadows. Her reclusive, shy nature belies her astonishing voice. When Portishead first burst onto the scene with their groundbreaking album Dummy, released in 1994, they redefined electronic music. Tonight, Gibbons is redefining the visual and aural performance of a solo artist and the emotional connection between artist and audience.

Opener “Tell me What you are Today,” starts with an acoustic guitar intro, with an Arabic tempo and Gibbons’ breathy distinctive vocals, whilst the spotlights change colour from red and violet to amber. At one stage curtains are billowing and undulating with the rhythm of the music. The combination of music, lighting and the smoky haze is captivating and atmospheric; the crowd are silent except when applauding and cheering at each song’s conclusion. “Floating on a Moment,” the first single off 2024’s Lives Outgrown, with its minimalist slow percussion, and xylophone, is one of many highlights during the set. Gibbon’s voice conveys melancholy, hope and yearning all at once, and the seven piece band of multi-instrumentalists, many playing several instruments in the course of one song, are breathtaking. At one point three musicians twirl neon whirly tubes to produce a whistling sound.

Her 2002 studio album with Rustin Man aka Paul Webb (formerly of Talk, Talk) featured ten tracks, two of which are played tonight. The moving “Mysteries,” which tugs at the heart strings, and up-tempo “Tom the Model,” with its sixties sensibilities, are both lapped up by the throng.

“You’ve been unbelievably kind,” exclaims Gibbons before exiting the stage. Her between song banter is minimal and when she does speak it is drowned out by applause and screams in the crowd.

When Gibbons and the band return it is Portishead’s “Roads” and “Glory-Box” that draw the loudest cheers during the encore. The inimitable Beth Gibbons and her band of extraordinary, accomplished musicians put on a breathtaking performance worthy of accolades.

: Beth Gibbons by Mary Boukouvalas

: Beth Gibbons by Mary Boukouvalas

: Beth Gibbons by Mary Boukouvalas

: Beth Gibbons by Mary Boukouvalas

: Beth Gibbons by Mary Boukouvalas

SETLIST
1. Tell me Who You Are Today (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)
2. Burden of Life (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)
3. Floating on a Moment (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)
4. Rewind (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)
5. For Sale (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)
6. Mysteries (from Out of Season, 2002)
7. Lost Changes (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)
8. Oceans (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)
9. Tom the Model (from Out of Season, 2002)
10. Beyond the Sun (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)
11. Whispering Love (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)

Encore
12. Roads (from Portishead, Dummy, 1994)
13. Glory-Box (from Portishead, Dummy, 1994)
14. Reaching Out (from Lives Outgrown, 2024)

Beth Gibbons is playing Dark Mofo in Hobart on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th June.

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