Adelaide Fringe 2014

A View From the Street

Geordie Little and Mark Williamson

Genre: Music

Venue: The Garage Bar & Bistro - 171 Waymouth Street

Festival: Adelaide Fringe

Low Down

Review

I wasn’t absolutely sure what to expect when I arrived at The Garage Bar and Bistro. The back half of the Weymouth Street venue had chairs lined up in front of a small stage set up for a busker. A video played on the screen behind it, just a streetscape, a few people walking up or down the steps to the station above, walking past the static camera – until a busker walked down them, our busker, Geordie Little.

As soon as Geordie began to play his guitar his unique talent mesmerized the entire audience, just like the passing audience on the screen. Everyone was captivated by the incredible layering of sounds, chords, melodies and percussion performed standard and lap style. 

Unusually Geordie was not lit at all, performing instead almost as a soundtrack for the video playing behind and above him. I would pull my attention away from increasingly interesting scenes playing out on the screen just so I could watch the incredible feat of acoustic guitar playing.

The video does touch on a few issues, for example – and close to any performing artist’s heart – music downloads, and has a sense of mystery intertwined into the seemingly random sequence of people stopping to watch our busker. A personal favourite is when three (presumably) students carry their couch and esky out on to the street to enjoy a few beers whilst listening to the music!

I, like the others in the room, were enthralled for the entire hour of A View From the Street and I encourage anyone looking for a pleasant alternative to the feast of comedy currently on display in Adelaide to see it. But don’t wait, it’s a very limited season.

Published March 1, 2014 by Fiona G Davy