It would be hard to find a braver, yet more self-effacing personality than Gina Williams. In her show she delivers the story of her life in words and song. In her life there has been an extraordinary amount of tragedy and adversity, yet as she narrates this poignant tale she shows not an ounce of bitterness and manages to deliver some wonderfully funny light-hearted throw-away lines. Especially endearing and sweet were her memories of innocent childhood sitting outside on a blanket under the stars listening to her parents’ extraordinarily eclectic choice of music! A sharp contrast to the story of cracks starting to appear in her parents’ marriage and her mother’s desertion of the family. “Mum left, that week we got a kitten”.

Her stories segue neatly into a wide variety of songs ranging from country influenced numbers to a selection from her first album of original songs, “Brilliant Blue" (aptly named and critically acclaimed). Her voice is beautiful and her vocal expression outstanding. Her personal message seems to be that of eternal hope and optimism.

As she only discovered in her early teenage years, after her adoptive father died, Gina is a Balladong Noongar woman, with links through her grandmother’s line to the Kija people of the East Kimberley.

No stranger to performance, for almost two decades Gina has been dedicated to the telling of her own and her people’s stories as demonstrated in this powerful cabaret.

Gina is a multi WAMI award-winner including The Most Popular Original Indigenous Act. Her regular band The Lubbly Sings was also excellent; rhythmic and tight; Kallan Sadler (keys, backing vocals), Kyran Holmes (guitar), Tim Collins (bass) and Calvin Webb (drums/percussion).

On a personal note she describes meeting her husband (with hilarious mutually-appreciative clicking sound effects!) and tells of her two children and a recently arrived 14 week old baby! Anyone who can perform a fairly lengthy and demanding show such as this, post new infant delivery qualifies as a super-woman in my book!

The capacity crowd adored her show.

Her brief season Downstairs at the Maj is over but shortly she will be performing some jazz at the launch of an exhibition of images from the Coolbaroo League and the Coffee Club for the City of Perth. Also she and her band are hopefully heading up to Geraldton next month and planning to do some regional/interstate touring.

The best way to follow this talented performer is via facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Lubblysings

Watch out for her progress. She is well-worth catching.

Cabaret Soiree Carnivale
Gina Williams and the Lubbly Sings

Venue: DownStairs at the Maj
Dates: 26, 27 & 28 August, 2010
Bookings: BOCS Ticketing on 9484 1133 | BOCS outlets | online

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