Live Review: Riley Pearce w/ Neighbour & Ella Metherell @ The Bearded Lady

It was 8pm on a Wednesday night and an intimate crowd had already gathered to bask in the warm, relaxed atmosphere of the Bearded Lady, awaiting Perth singer-songwriter Riley Pearce. Before the show, Riley could be seen hanging around in the audience, writing on napkins, and chatting to friends and strangers. At only 22 years old, his confidence gave the impression of a seasoned performer.

Indie-folk songstress Ella Metherell was the first to take the stage wearing blue denim overalls and black rimmed glasses. With her hair in a bun, Ella’s effortless style was the perfect match for her naturally arresting stage presence.

From the very first song it was clear that Ella had more than enough natural talent to back up her confident persona. Her voice, like a mixture of Regina Spektor and Florence + the Machine, was a captivating contradiction – strong, soft, pure, and rough all at the same time – while her natural way with the guitar filled the room with sound and the silences with anticipation.

[Ella] demonstrated amazing control over her voice, contrasting sweetness and innocence with energy, emphasis, and passion.

Early in the set, Ella’s song Misread was a standout – she demonstrated amazing control over her voice, contrasting sweetness and innocence with energy, emphasis, and passion. Each one of her tender original songs removed an outer layer of armour. It was a beautifully honest performance, and even a sudden alarm going off outside didn’t seem to phase her.

Up next was Brisbane singer-songwriter Neighbour a.k.a. Ryan Nebauer, who set himself a high bar from the very beginning with his stunning falsetto vocals in Permanent. Similar to Passenger in both his musical style and stage presence, Neighbour was a sure-fire hit with the audience. He wasted no opportunity to show off his impressively strong projection and vocal range, finding the microphone unnecessary for most of the performance.

Each song followed the same winning recipe: clever lyrics, an emotionally-charged vocal delivery, and meticulous guitar work.

Each song followed the same winning recipe: clever lyrics, an emotionally-charged vocal delivery, and meticulous guitar work. Not only that, his songs had a rare sense of confidence and openness about them. Amongst the highlights were Alexander Graham Bell, written about mobile phones interrupting human interaction (ironic in a room full of people who spent the intermissions scrolling through Facebook), and Aviation, a striking lyrical number about depression.

Neighbour’s diverse set list included his musings on unemployment, Tasmanian tigers, and “things you want but can’t have”, proving that he has truly mastered the art of connecting with strangers through musical diversity and honesty. His energy, intense guitar skills, and captivating vocal performances make Neighbour a force to be reckoned with.

Neighbour’s diverse set list [proved] that he has truly mastered the art of connecting with strangers through musical diversity and honesty.

After another short break, the crowd was more than ready for headliner Riley Pearce. The 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Perth has already gathered an impressive Brisbane following, and as he sat on his makeshift crate-and-instrument-case stool, it wasn’t difficult to understand why. Riley didn’t waste any time,  showing off his Matt Corby-esque upper vocal range during the sound check with a single pure falsetto note.

The performance that followed was a seamless string of smooth tracks from Riley’s full-length debut ‘Outside The Lines’ – We Lost Ourselves, The Long Road, We Are Fools, and his irresistible single Brave. The single developed into a true one-man show as Riley tapped and smacked his guitar, creating his own percussion. Between Rusty, a song about snow, and Seasick, about “making excuses for things”, it became clear that Riley, like Neighbour, has a penchant for exploring a diverse range of subjects in song.

Riley didn’t waste any time,  showing off his Matt Corby-esque upper vocal range during the sound check with a single pure falsetto note.

Outside The Lines is yet another product of Riley’s ability to build a catchy tune using nothing but a guitar and a microphone. He closed his eyes through the title track, looking as though he was entering a meditative state. His familiar, comforting vocals went hand in hand with some seriously impressive guitar work, each individual track featuring slides, fingerpicking, and plenty of emotion.

Towards the end of the night, Riley changed things up for Circles, laying his guitar across his lap as he tapped out a rhythm and plucked at the strings. Throughout the song he sat hunched over his guitar, his face towards the ground, which somehow only made the scene more captivating. The finale was a unique, unexpectedly brilliant recreation of Japanese Wallpaper’s hit tune Forces. Riley had the crowd losing track of time as he put his own impressive spin on the dreamy electronic track using only his voice and his guitar.

The Brisbane leg of the ‘Outside The Lines’ album launch was a seamless production line of one delicate note and intricate chord after another – three brilliant performances from three extraordinarily talented singer-songwriters. If he continues to break down walls with his own minimalistic style, it will be only a matter of time before this talented singer-songwriter is rewriting the lines altogether.

Riley Pearce’s debut album ‘Outside The Lines’ is available now!