Markus Hamence Presents Grace Knight Live @ The Regal Theatre, Kensington Park SA 6/5/2023
Saturday night Markus Hamence Presents brought to Adelaide Grace Knight Live and it was a night of nostalgic classics. It’s been a while since Grace Knight graced an Adelaide stage and The Regal Theatre was an intimate art deco setting for the four-piece band. Singing mainly the songs that she wanted to sing because as she said “I just do what I want to do now!” and it’s her show! Having a career spanning over four decades and with her voice as powerful as ever she’s earned the right to sing whatever she wants!
Singing songs from her latest albums and a couple of Eurogliders hits, the seventy minute set was at times sombre and sentimental. In between each song Knight was playful and fun having the crowd in stitches with her quirky and hilarious sense of humour often including her band members Esther Henderson (Fiddle), Darren Farrugia (Drums), Reginald Lemann (Guitar) and Philip Rex (Double Bass).
Knight proclaimed she “loved singing Bernie’s songs” her ex-husband and Eurogliders band member who wrote or co-wrote most of the songs on the set list. Starting with the haunting Wasted Trees, Never Fade Away, Fall For You before going a little upbeat and jazzy with Baby Please. Going back to sombre with Will You Wait then getting down ‘n’ dirty with Wrap Me Up.
Going back and forth with traditional, jazz, blues and folk tunes her range was flawless. Mainly singing songs from her recent albums like Wait For The Night and the beguine feel of Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child which Knight gave a hip feel to an old classic, One I Love, Lucky Me and the willowy vibes of Billy from her 2021 album Fragile.
We finally reached the era of the Eurogliders and we got the 2021 version of Can’t Wait To See You from her album Grace. Tonight, was the night of many slow and sombre songs like Wasted Tree, Stormy, Sundown and Undecided. The song with the most interesting story was Judy’s World about a woman Knight knew in the 90’s. Judy was (as described by Knight) “what was previously known as a groupie but is now just a woman who likes to fuck!” It was a hilarious story and the song was a great rockin’ tribute to a fun and vibrant woman.
For the last song of the night, Knight made it known it was the last song “no encore, that’s it and I’m off!” The song everyone waited for, the big Eurogliders hit Heaven. She got everyone to sing along acapella and it was a treat to hear the crowd in harmony. As a great interpreter of song, Knight gets lost in the music when she sings and her vocal range is just phenomenal. While she’s still a powerhouse vocalist she hasn’t lost those distinctive Grace Knight moves either!
Live Review By Anastasia Lambis