The Thornbury Theatre was the perfect venue for the night’s awaited bands; Seagull, and the act being dubbed Australia’s female supergroup, Seeker Lover Keeper. $45 for a group’s first tour could be considered expensive, despite that individually, each artist has been performing for several years, however, it was also the atmosphere the audience was paying for. In a theatre that could easily seat 1000 people, an intimate atmosphere is still maintained with candlelit tables of ten facing the barely elevated stage. As I entered the show, people were making conversation with fellow show goers whilst finishing off their meals. Not knowing anyone at the show, it was lovely to be able to mingle with others on my table and hear their own perspectives of the artists. I look forward to returning to the Thornbury Theatre with a group of friends for dinner and a show, as it was a lovely escape from a cold Melbourne winter.

Seagull were first to appear, and provided what was unfortunately treated as background music for those who had opted to dine at the theatre. It was difficult to become immersed in Seagull’s music, as the volume was kept low to allow for show goers to chat over their dinner and meet those around them. Seagull consists of front man Chris Bolton, accompanied by a female, and the duo seemed happy to provide the backing track for the evening. Although they both possessed enchanting voices, in an environment designed to focus on the other elements of the night, they went largely unnoticed. To add to this, the band offered no commentary on their tracks, which did not help to attract the audience's attention from their meals. Throughout the set, the conversation became louder, and Seagull were almost completely forgotten. I am told by a fellow audience member their upcoming album is most impressive, and I don’t doubt it as there is an obvious talent behind Seagull. On this occasion, however, the group was unable to overcome the environment that told the audience to almost ignore the stage.

The half hour between acts allows me to speak with those around me, as we eagerly wait for the night’s star act. Seeker Lover Keeper, consisting of Sarah Blasko, Holly Thorsby and Sally Seltmann. I am seated next to a relative of Seltmann’s, the artist who is best known for her previous role in New Buffalo, and for co-writing Feist’s hit song “1234”. According to Seltmann’s relative, the girls were initially going to tour together and perform a mix of each others’ songs, but eventually Seltmann suggested to make an entirely new band, and so formed Seeker Lover Keeper. The album was written in a mere two weeks, and each artist was responsible for separate elements of the album. It is clear there is a good balance between the three singer-songwriters, as there is not an overriding influence of any person on the album.

The girls enter the stage looking very nervous, with the prospect of playing to the large theatre. Each is known for their reserved demeanour on stage, and even with the support of the other group members, they remain very quiet throughout the performance. There is no faulting the harmonies of the band, as each of their voices work perfectly with the others. For each song, one artist normally takes lead vocals, and is accompanied by the others on backing vocals, piano or guitar, or a combination. Blasko takes centre stage for the majority of the show, followed by Seltmann, although interestingly it is Throsby’s songs that harness the most popularity. The second song, “Light All My Lights”, allows the girls to loosen up a little as they sway awkwardly to the music, but it is more endearing than uncomfortable to watch. Aware of their awkward nature, Blasko later pokes fun at the group, calling them a bunch of nerds. It is true; although their talent together and apart is immense, they all look slightly out of place playing in front of what looks like a high school banner with the band’s initials. Despite this, I am quickly convinced of the strength of each of their voices individually, which is outstanding when heard live.

The group play the majority of songs on their debut album, including “On My Own”, “Rely On Me”, “Theme I”, and “Bridges Burned.” Similarly to the band, the audience is very quiet, although admittedly this isn’t exactly the venue to be jumping up and down with excitement. The crowd’s lack of energy is noticed by the band however, and Throsby attempts to enthuse us, asking “Are you still there?” Personally, I don’t think it was lack of enjoyment that caused the crowd to act politely, but the seated venue meant audiences were less likely to sing and dance, even if their favourite song was played. “Even Though I’m A Woman”, the band’s debut single, is played second last in the set, and receives the most response from the reserved crowd. The song is truly outstanding, and is a true amalgamation of each of the girls’ talent. Throsby takes lead vocals, with Blasko on backing vocals, and Seltmann on piano. It is obvious each artist is not precious of their role in the band, which has allowed for the success of the album.

After the 45 minute set, the group finally gets the recognition they had begged for, and are cheered back on stage for an encore. The encore is more what the band had originally planned to be, as each artist plays a cover of another’s song. Blasko does a jazz version of Throsby’s song, “We’re Good People But Why Don’t We Show It?”, which Throsby calls “quite hot”. Throsby then covers the New Buffalo track, “I’m The Drunk and You’re The Star”, followed by Seltmann doing an impressive rendition of Blasko’s “We Won’t Run”. The final song of the night is also a cover, this time of Stevie Nicks' “Wild Heart”.

The night concludes with a few standing ovations from the crowd, and a queue quickly assembles to meet Seeker Lover Keeper and have their merchandise signed. Vocally, this was an impressive display of Australian talent, however I only wish there was more crowd interaction to make the night truly memorable.