Saturday 4^th October 2008 @ Thekla, Bristol
With Support From: Scott Matthew

Saturday sees the Thekla packed to the rafters with punters who all share a very well kept secret. That secret is the artist known as Sia.

Sia is supported by Scott Matthew, an incredibly sweet acoustic singer. He is perched on a high stool and rocking an impressive, black beard. His voice is smooth and very intense and this compliments his touching, introspective lyrics perfectly. His mellow songs kept us all gripped and listening carefully to the words.

Shortly after the support set, the lights all completely go out as we wait for Sia. Then out of the darkness emerge five ultra violet puppets of stick people made to look as if a child had drawn them. This was actually Sia and her band who quickly took their positions in the darkness to burst into Buttons which is probably the most infectious pop song since Kylie’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head. As the song finishes, the suits are off and we are met with a wonderful beaming smile from Sia who takes the time to say hello or wave to any fans she recognises and anyone who will wave back. As soon as the next song starts, she briefly closes her eyes and then what comes out is astonishing and paralysing; her live voice is the most controlled singing voice I have ever heard! She puts incredible power but also a lot of sensitivity into each note.

She occasionally sprinkles in some of the songs she has made with Zero 7 like the quirky, Beach Boys inspired Pageant of the Bizarre and the sublime Destiny; however, all of the people on this boat are clearly fans of her unique solo work.

Between songs, Sia is a bumbling, silly ball of energy that is just as entertaining as any comedian. She leaps around with a giant smile on her face and is genuinely pleased to be there. It’s almost as if she flips a switch on the back of her head that turns her into this amazing singer as soon as any song starts; although, this being the first night of the tour, there were a few false starts and giggles.

This lady is the real deal. She has one of the most unique female voices of the last decade, she doesn’t need rehab, she doesn’t have tantrums and she certainly doesn’t need expensive music videos or designer labels. She should be huge, but we don’t want her to be! As I spoke to another Sia fan about the fact she had mentioned she would be performing on Later With Jools Holland in a matter of weeks, we had both come to the conclusion that we were pleased for her but not for us. We both felt it would be a great platform for others to discover her music but felt as thought she was ours and we didn’t want to share! At that gig I realised that when I discovered Sia I only told a few people about her. All of her fans at that gig were the same. It was like a secret club meeting up to appreciate her music and what it means to us. This sounds strange to write down and to share now but it was very true! For that night she was our secret and I just hope the rest of the world are ready for our secret to be revealed in the future as she truly deserves as much success as she can get.

Sia’s latest album Some People Have Real Problems is out now. Also check out her live album called Lady Croissant to get a feel for what her live shows are like.

www.siamusic.net

Stu Freeman