BACKED by the haunting, harmonic voice of her all-female band The Red Clay Halos, Emily Barker’s modern-day folk lyrics gained poignancy.
The Australian vocalist and guitarist is currently on tour promoting her third studio album Almanac.
From the backwaters of Western Australia, Barker writes modern folk songs which explore traditional themes of love and friendship, as well as more sombre subjects.
The set began with Little Deaths, “a song about when things don’t quite go according to plan”. Sometimes the audience seemed a little subdued, but Barker kept the mood light.
At one point she offered out a free drinks token, being a designated driver, and made an appeal: “We need a roadie, a driver and a chef for our next tour. Any offers?”
Title-track Almanac drew a lot of applause with its lyrics about what will happen to the world if we don’t take care for it, while Bones explored the atrocities committed by settlers against the indigenous people of Australia.
She showed her versatility on electric guitar for the last couple of songs, but the most memorable moments came when her band sang together in harmony.
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