The early morning hours of September 9 brought on a short yet dramatic rainfall in the city of Meanjin, and brought with it, Thelma and her crew of magical musicians. As the hours passed, the sun grew warmer and brought out our first-day real day of spring. Some would brush this off as a noncoincidence, however, I took it as a sign that Meanjin was blooming with joy to have Thelma sing that night.

Jem Cassar Daley was the first to serenade the Meanjin crowd on September 9th, charming the audience with songs about not-so-charming breakups - with her quick heartache and break-up quips, delicate words, and the gentle backup of her soft keys. Jem had us all swooning and thinking, who could ever break her heart?! Showcasing her talents and tracks from her debut ep, Jem was the perfect start to this Friday pop-fest.

You can listen to her charming EP ‘I don’t know who to call’ on streaming services now.

GRAACE by Dayna Gilmore

GRAACE took to the stage with her punchy pop bops and ignited the Tivoli with pure joy. While touring this year after the release of her second EP: Self Preservation, GRAACE shared her happiness with us. Giggles and pesky guitar straps were lost and so was composure but hey - how much more relatable can you be, and how delightful is seeing a big stage full of talent, giggling through a set? (Hint: It’s very delightful!). Fun radiated off of every member of GRAACE’s band and left us totally enamored by the graacefulness of their stage presence.

GRAACE’s beautiful dainty voice and infectious attitude left for a unique set, and her stunning rendition of Avril Lavigne’s complicated has been stuck in my head since!

Thelma Plum blessed us with an emotional and moving performance for her hometown show in Meanjin, September 9th. Touring her newly released EP titled: “Meanjin”, this show was a special night and it felt right to be sharing the night surrounded by her family, and fans, together as one. The energy in the air was bright as Thelma started the set with “The Brown Snake’ a new track and ode to the Meanjin river. She announced ‘Don’t look me in the eyes, or I will cry’ before jumping into not angry anymore, dollar and backseat of my mind. While emotions were running on an all - time high - so was the bass - still within dB requirements, I overheard a soundie say ‘this is heavier bass than a metal show’ - Thelma and her band came to rock.

Slotting in her iconic Powderfinger cover ‘These Days’ midway through the set was a beautiful collective moment and the crowd lit up, taking a moment to appreciate the rawness and vulnerability Thelma knows how to give us, so carefully.

Powering on with her crispy pop melodies, and ending the night with an encore for ‘clumsy love’, it was clear that Thelma’s EP ‘Meanjin’ a.k.a her ‘love letter to Meanjin’, is held very dear to her heart and being able to witness her sharing her vulnerable, stunning artistry, especially in her hometown leg, was a moment to remember.

You can catch Thelma Plum on the rest of her Meanjin tour through September or catch her at one of the several interstate events she is playing through to December. These dates can be found at: https://thelmaplum.com/