Live Review: Nicholas Allbrook @ The Milk Factory

Out of all the ways one could spend a Sunday night, an intimate evening with Nicholas Allbrook at the Milk Factory is sure to satisfy.  As Allbrook took to the stage in a room no larger than that of a small cafe, it’s hard to remember this is the same person who has already been previously successful in other bands.  The crowd was so close to the stage it almost felt as if you were being personally serenaded.

It would not be a Nicholas Allbrook performance without some of the crazy nuances he is well known for, asking the crowed “when you sweat and it doesn’t taste salty, does it mean you’re unhealthy?”.

Allbrook performed a mix of songs from his old album and some new material, including a new yet to be released Pond song. As he merged into the crowd he was difficult to spot, not just due to the fact that he is barely five-foot-four, but the overalls he was sporting, the very same ones from all the promotional posters, made him fit in so flawlessly with the hipster crowd which his music attracts.

He performed newly released single Advance in a stripped back version using only guitar and distortions, creating an entirely different experience to the over the top glittery song compared to the recorded single.  It would not be a Nicholas Allbrook performance without some of the crazy nuances he is well known for, asking the crowed “when you sweat and it doesn’t taste salty, does it mean you’re unhealthy?”.

“Allbrook kept the small crowd pleasantly entertained for the night in an up-close experience that showed that behind the weirdness that Allbrook presents, is simply a raw, talented musician.”

But despite the weirdness there is no question the short Western Australian native is extremely talented.  His guitar performance was flawless and his vocals sparked with raw emotion in a way that could only be appreciated in such an intimate setting.   

It’s weird to think that this is the same person who I watched open for the Arctic Monkeys at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre only a couple of years ago as Nicholas Allbrook fronted Pond.  The psychedelic nature of his solo material, though not all that different from Pond, is far more suited to this small up close and personal environment than the large arena that I had previously witnessed.

Overall Nicholas Allbrook kept the small crowd pleasantly entertained for the night in an up-close experience that showed that behind the weirdness that Allbrook presents, is simply a raw, talented musician.