Arden double bill shakes music memory banks

If you closed your eyes at last Saturday’s Arden Theatre concert, you may have thought you were transported to the past and were teetering on the brink of ’50s rock and roll.

For the nearly full house, it was a feel-good dreamlike trip, a return to the days when classic rock, soft pop and folk harmonies ruled the music airwaves.

But while nostalgia is powerful thing, the double bill of The Good Lovelies and The Human Statues was also loaded with contemporary edginess.

Both groups are making a name for themselves through their tightly crafted harmonies and they pulled out all the stops, giving generously in honest and fairly funny performances.

While the Juno award winning The Good Lovelies was the main attraction, The Human Statues, composed of Jeff Bryant and Zach Stevenson launched the evening’s popular ascent.

Stevenson, who portrays Buddy Holly in Buddy, bounded out onto the stage dressed in suit, tie and signature black rim glasses. Bryant, the main spokesperson, was more casual in just a shirt and tie.

With a name like The Human Statues, you might think the duo was fairly static. Instead they were incredibly energetic moving to choreographed leaps, shuffles, microphone switches and generally involving the audience in their stage antics.

As they serenaded the audience with their first number, Another Won’t Do, images of The Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel and the Beatles jumped to mind. Moving into the folksier Better Way they created a gentle lament.

Picking up the beat, Stevenson sang a solo version of Goodbye, a poetic memory ballad that longingly recalls the innocence of childhood.

With their slick harmonies, smooth humour and energetic theatricality; The Human Statues delivered a show that poked fun at themselves and their image.

From the moment The Good Lovelies strolled under the lights exuding an Andrews Sisters flirty femininity laced with a healthy dollop of Dixie Chicks sass, the audience stepped into the palm of their hand. It was only a matter of minutes before their lush folk-pop harmonies sealed the deal.

But Kerri Ough, Sue Passmore and Caroline Brooks are more than just singers telling stories through music. In between every song, they recounted funny stories about their personal life and touring misadventures. These were golden moments that broke the ice and made instant friends between strangers.

Singing songs mainly from their third full-length album, Let the Rain Fall, the trio kick-started on an upbeat note with Kiss Me in the Kitchen, a tune with a country bluegrass vibe.

Interestingly enough, no one voice ever dominated a song. Ough had the powerful vocals, Passmore possessed a warm and soothing sound and Brooks’ voice demonstrated a sweet quality.

Whether it was Old Highway, Lonesome Hearts, Best I Know or Made For Rain, they delivered the right formula. An added instrumental touch was watching the trio swap banjo, guitar and mandolin with each other at every song break.

The Good Lovelies and The Human Statues are a solid pairing with great chemistry. But while folk music has in past years taken a back seat to more commercially viable genres, this concert was a great example of how really great folk music can still pick up massive support.