Meg Mac @ The Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay NSW Australia 20/09/2017 written by Brendan Lewis.

The stunningly beautiful and talented Meg Mac brings her soulful tunes to the Central Coast in accordance with the recent release of her debut album ‘Low Blows’, to put the humble drunks at The Entrance Leagues Club under the spell that many before us have been put under at her shows. You are now getting sleepy, you will continue reading and fall under this spell… and order me pizza.

The sold out venue over-flowing with excitement, chants Meg’s name until she finally walks out onto the stage, then starts the enchantment off with the opening song off her debut EP ‘Turning’, rather than the opening song off her recent album (the typical choice). Meg moves around the stage confidently and like a seasoned pro, even to her soulful calming sound. Meg’s well-trained vocals elevate the excitement even more throughout the audience, and aren’t stifled by the incredible bass which does drown out other sounds a little, but luckily Meg’s voice was clear and sharp.

Next after a quick thank you to the audience, Meg leads straight into ‘Grace Gold’ off her debut album, sparking a rowdy cheer from the audience. ‘Grace Gold’ continues to show off Meg’s incredible vocals, her ability to move around the stage projecting her own-felt energy to the music, plus even got the audience singing along, in complimenting harmony. Sparking a sing-alon from the audience and a massive cheer to this song with its up-beat attention grabbing intro, would’ve made it quite appropriate played first, luckily Meg has commanded everyones full attention straight away regardless.

With another thank you to the audience, Meg informs everyone that “my name is Meg Mac”, oh thank god, here I was suspicious of this beautiful talent being an imposter this whole time. The authentic Meg Mac proceeds into soon to be classic hit off her debut EP ‘Known Better’, which summoned many mobile phones from the audience now recording this song as they bopped relaxingly to, and mimicked “I’m sorry” to in the final chorus of the song.

Even though Meg’s music is mature, calm for the most parts and captivating, and when I interviewed her she seemed shy and quiet., she moves around the stage confidently and addresses the audience with the same confidence exuding charisma. Its obvious the music brings out a whole new side to Meg.

With a quick down to earth chat to her fans, Meg heads into ‘Kindness’ off her latest album, followed by ‘Every Lie’ off her debut EP which sparked a massive cheer from the audience. These songs featured more spine tingling vocals from Meg which got the crowd dancing along to, but her on-stage charisma was let down slightly by the solid dull white… yellow… blue? lights, I honestly can’t tell what colour they are.

I must mention that there is an over-excited, suspected drunk lady right behind me who keeps yelling out “Roll Up Your Sleeves!” requesting the song that oh sweetheart, you should know Meg plays that song right at the end, plus some other rowdy patrons yelling things out as if it were a rough sweaty rock gig. Guys, this music is captivating and definitely not the type of music to get rowdy to, please shut up, you’re breaking the spell that Meg’s casting… I want that pizza.

Moving right along, Meg speaks to the audience yet again, sharing more anecdotes of her songs meanings and their making, then resumes the music with ‘Cages’. This songs power-filled emotion that definitely entranced me, yet others around me chatter annoyingly. The rude chatter increases in volume after ‘Cages’ while Meg takes us through more anecdotes of her music and experiences, but of course I can’t tell you exactly what she’s saying because of the irritating yelling outs from the audience and, “roll up your sleeves” …seriously, bitch please.

Up next is ‘Brooklyn Apartment’ with its more relaxed energy yet Meg still moves around the stage like its her own lair, moving up close to the audience making sure the spell keeps its hold on us, before a courteous bow to the audience, leading into ‘Shiny Bright’ and then ‘Saint Philomene’. Before playing ‘Shiny Bright’, Meg talks about how she was convinced there was a ghost in Electric Lady Studios (be warned, do not Google “Electric Lady”) when she was recording the song, which is appropriately evident when Meg sits at her keyboard, and with the only other sound being bass through the song, her accurate clear voice was for sure ‘Shiny Bright’, echoing throughout the room and was hauntingly exquisite.

After some more inappropriately rowdy yelling out from some audience members, Meg demonstrates her talent as not only an incredible singer/songwriter, but as a musician too, with Meg looping her singing, keyboard and beat tapping to ‘Didn’t Wanna Get So Low But I Had To’. This song featuring Meg adding layers upon layers of sounds swiftly and efficiently, made the audience fall deep under her spell with total silence.

After ‘Grandmas Hands’, Meg’s band return to the stage to then be addressed and thanked by Meg, before starting ‘Maybe It’s My First Time’, no pun at it actually being your first time performing on the Central Coast Meg? This song raises the atmosphere of the night’s performance nicely after the intimate, stripped back acoustic session of the last two songs, and with the song building up in intensity heading into the final chorus, Meg waving her arms in a spell casting way to the audience and her soaring vocals, it went down perfectly with the rowdy drunks around me.

Heading into the home stretch of the show, much loved single ‘Low Blows’ is next via a thank you to the supporting bands before Meg. ‘Low Blows’ beckoned the loudest and clearest sing-a-long from the audience yet, which helped raise and carry Meg’s euphoric vocals, and features Meg pausing her singing at a strategic section for the crowd to then sing her in.

I would’ve expected this song to be the last before her massive anthem hit ‘Never Be’…. before the “surprise” encore that is. However no, ‘Ride It’ is up next which does include far less singing along to from the crowd, but does include the first clap-a-long from them.

Now we get the essence of Meg’s spell, ‘Never Be’. This song starts off with an alternate intro that accentuates the funky feeling of the song that I warned my friend may bring out a totally manly bum wiggle to… ok, its a little bit girly. Meg then lets the audience sing her into the song, and I’m not the only one dancing to this anthemic hit of gospel blues-pop, the whole crowd are shakin’ a tale feather to it whilst singing and clapping along. OMG! (oh my Greedo) the lights are finally differing from solid white… or whatever colour they are! Not dramatically, the lighting is still dull and next to non-existent, but it did grab my attention only for the show to now come to a close.

Perhaps the lighting person was seduced by Meg’s spell too, up until this point. The crowd chants Meg’s name and stamps their feet like a denied child in Toys ‘R’ Us, and of course brings Meg back out onto the stage for ‘If You Want Me To Stay’, showing off her voice perfectly, and finally, the song Meg told me is her special inspirational message to her fans that she absolutely loves hearing her audiences sing a long to, ‘Roll Up Your Sleeves’. Told you drunken loud lady behind me, right at the end. Meg got her wish, the crowd echoed her every word and with Meg waving her arm around expressing her emotional lyrics and music to the audience, it finalised her enchantment perfectly.

Meg’s incredibly well trained and soaring vocals that are so accurate to her recordings, that if you didn’t hear the ‘p’ sound on her microphone at times and the occasional vocal improvisations, you’d be forgiven for wondering if she were lip syncing. The great sound and on-stage personality and anecdotes from Meg were a treat, and I look forward to many more shows from Meg.