Ray Mann was the Yin to Tori Amos’ Yang… his stripped back set felt like he had personally invited us there himself to enjoy his barefooted ramblings…
Tori Amos, Ray Mann @ Canberra Theatre, Canberra (15/11/09)
Gig Review by mattymac, 20th November, 2009
Tori Amos sat with us recently in an evening of intense personal confession, accompanied by Ray Mann of the Ray Mann Three.
Ray Mann was the Yin to Tori’s Yang. Bereft of the Three, his stripped back set felt like he had personally invited us there himself to enjoy his barefooted ramblings. The stage got smaller and you could almost taste the green tea you should be drinking. His disarming material pooled and eddied in the spaces between everyone and small colourful flourishes kept it all buoyant. Without the aggressive masculinity of a rhythm section (the blood and guts of soul) his voice was allowed to establish its own place rather than force its way to the foreground. It was fine and dexterous and was interlaced with his flirtatious guitar work beautifully. It was a blithe conversation between performer and audience that was perhaps in hindsight more of a necessary counterpoint to Tori’s sombre performance than it may have originally looked on paper.
Read the full review at FasterLouder.com.au