Review: Silver Sircus: Home/Truth

**Pictured** **(L to R)**: *Silver Sircus* at Australian Modern: Mark Angel, Terry Dixon, Lucinda Shaw, Wayne Jennings, Ruth Gardner, and James Lees (Picture credit: Creative Futures Photography).

I have previously mentioned that the concerts that take place in the Australian Modern home of Susan and Chris Osborne are always an Anywhere Festival highlight… Apologies for repeating myself, but 2022 was another great Australia Modern year!

One of the great things about the programming of Australian Modern is discovering some of the many amazing musicians, acts, and collectives that call Brisbane home, and making new connections. I am new to Silver Sircus. A talented music collective, led by Lucinda Shaw (vocalist/lyricist) and James Lees (drummer/composer), Silver Sircus has been described as having ‘built a highly eclectic world of sound incorporating dark cabaret performance, electronica, post-rock, prog and chamber folk elements’ (check out https://soundcloud.com/silversircus for more).

It was highly appropriate that the closing event for my personal 2022 Anywhere Festival program was the Silver Sircus: Home Truth Anywhere Modern Sunday sunset concert. Chris Osborne made the introductions, and Mark Angel (guitar), Terry Dixon (bass guitar), Wayne Jennings (cello), Ruth Gardner (acoustic guitar), and James Lees (keys, composer, musical director) began to play Home.

And then Lucinda Shaw (vocalist, lyricist… and cabaret performer) entered through the audience, and gave a brief introduction to Shaw’s moving and atmospheric first song, enhanced with introductory references to the photograph of the mother and son fleeing the Mallacoota flames. Shaw conjured powerful images, and (with a nod to a line from the first song) our hearts were quickly in Shaw’s hands.

I’d suggest downloading some of the Silver Sircus catalogue (https://silversircus.bandcamp.com/music, or perhaps Soundcloud) and see if you agree with my impression of a musical style that is a distinctive concoction of jazz, prog-rock, Irish-folk, and more. A compelling mix of Scandi-noir spinetingling and highly-atmospheric music, as well as upbeat and lyrical prog-folk-jazz, illuminating the poetry of the Silver Sircus lyrics.

At times I thought I could detect Simon and Garfunkel, Genesis, late Beatles, Irish and Andalusian influences… but, really, Silver Sircus has a musical style that is as eclectic and individual as Shaw’s compelling dark cabaret performance. Poetic lyrics (Shaw), illuminated by great bass guitar (Dixon), acoustic guitar textures (Gardner), guitar highlights (Angel), wonderful strings and the always haunting cello (Jennings), and Lees’ compositions, keys and beats. And really great vocals (Shaw), supported with harmonies and backing by members of the band.

Shaw has a wonderful vocal range, a compelling stage presence, and a poetic way with words. I can honestly say that I was captivated by the whole set, and it’s difficult to identify just one number that I can recommend. As the Anywhere Festival Show was Silver Sircus: Home/Truth—an exploration of notions of home, set in a Brisbane home—perhaps start with To The Place That Is Home. Having heard tracks such as I am Going to Find You in concert, it’s going to be on high rotation in my personal playlist for some time.

And if anyone is looking for a great soundtrack for their new Scandi Noir film, I’d suggest contacting Silver Sircus.

Verdict: A fascinating sunset concert to close my personal Anywhere Festival ’22, and a great introduction to the compelling Silver Sircus. My advice continues to be, if it’s on at Australian Modern, then go.

Catherine Lawrence

Picture: Lucinda Shaw (Credit: Creative Futures Photography)

Audience information: Silver Sircus: Home/Truth, Australian Modern, Carina, QLD (21-22 May, 2022, 3:30pm and 5:30pm). Tickets $50. 75 minutes.

The reviewer attended the Sunday 22 May (5pm) performance.

Picture Credit: Creative Futures Photography. A copy of this review first appeared on the Anywhere Festival website.

Geoff Lawrence