Alan Brough and Casey Bennetto Were and Are The Narelles: Adelaide Cabaret Festival Review

Banquet Room, Thu 11 Jun You just know that anything these two clever comedic musos put together is going to be mad, funny and a bit outrageous and The Narelles certainly deliver the goods. Making their ‘comeback’ after a long hiatus, the dubious band includes drummer Gary X who, crippled by stage fright, and with the help of modern technology, plays through the PA from ‘the deck of the Popeye under a tent’. Although the opening song was a bit uninteresting, and the audience blinder lights annoying, (intentionally) the show went up from there and the music was, indeed, reminiscent of the alternative rock and pop spectrum of 27 years ago. Alan Brough and Casey Bennetto are both good musicians and singers, and alternate between lead guitar and bass, with the occasional piano feature (Casey’s was lovely, Alan’s was unforgettable) and an acoustic guitar solo song from Casey. Stitched together with witty banter, creative album titles and insight into the band politics that obviously caused their demise after ‘7 albums’, the highlights were the Nick Cave tribute song about the plot to murder Nick Cave, Alan’s quite beautiful and plaintiff ballad, I Only Became A Terrorist To Impress You and Casey’s green-eyed ode to his plumber. This is a show purely aimed at entertainment and madcap fun. The performers are skilled, sardonic and very likeable and it is an enjoyable romp in the world of lost youth, loud music and big bananas! Nikki Fort Alan Brough and Casey Bennetto perform The Narelles in Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre, from 7.30pm until Sat 13 Jun. Book at BASS on 131 246 and bass.net.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. Image courtesy of Wombat Rochelles