Ginger & the Ghost

Stepping up onto the cluttered stage behind a wash of projected fireworks within the maddeningly hodge-podge environs of Toronto concert hall El Mocambo, eccentrically clad Aussie duo Ginger & the Ghost wasted little time in unleashing the adventurous collection of sonic wonderment that characterizes their compositions. With her energetic sway and dramatic glares peeking out from behind the show's creative lighting, singer Missy's airy though piercing vocals soared above a clearly quizzical and multi-layered soundscape, which was unfortunately muddled and made hard to hear by the room's poor sound. As the set progressed and songs opened up a bit, there were a few moments where elements like the sounds of strings and the singer's autoharp (which she would later pick up and play live) rang through behind her cohort's steady guitar rhythms. The pounding drums and more focused melodies of mid-set track "Werewolf" also helped to mix things up as the show progressed, and despite the setup's audio limitations, the creative turns shown during the tandem's short time slot made their mark and left a desire to delve further into their recordings in a proper setting.