I first saw Bachelor Girl in the last 90s. They’d just released “Buses and Trains” and the strength of that song saw them supporting The Goo Goo Dolls at the humble Newcastle Workers Club. I was a young thing then, keen as mustard to catch a live show, and so I arrived with plenty of time to catch their set. I remember being struck by the power of the pint-sized Tania Doko, the charisma of this tiny creature who sang pop songs that were far more intelligent than the average.

A lot of years have passed, but I was every bit as impressed as I caught them on their extended reunion tour last night at Lizotte’s. “The Cubby House’s” small stage was warmed up by singer-songwriter Beth Robertson. Her set was simple but moving. It was touching to see her interacting with her guitar-playing husband, and hear the way her voice fit so perfectly with her back-up singing sister. An ode to Newcastle and its small-town feel inevitably won me over, and her stripped back cover of Katy Perry’s “California Girls” was another highlight. It was a set without frills, but its sincerity and simplicity won me over. I really hope to catch Beth somewhere again; she was brilliant.

Bachelor Girl have certainly lost nothing over the years. If anything the time apart seems to have done Tania Doko and James Roche good, as they appear to be performing with real joy. There’s an easiness about the way they appear on stage that can only come from so much time together.

Their set was punctuated by the big singles, but also featured some of the “lost songs” only heard on the new greatest hits album. I didn’t know all the tunes, but I didn’t need to. It was much more fun to discover them as the evening unfolded, listening to the lyrics and the anecdotes James and Tania told between tunes.

The acoustic setting shed a new light on the songs I’ve loved for years. Songs like “Permission to Shine” and “Treat Me Good” were played to death on radio in their day, but I found a new appreciation for them last night. To hear personal favourites “Buses and Trains,” “Lucky Me” and “I’m Just a Girl” once more in the live setting was another thrill. And their version of “Help,” which has only been performed a handful of times, was breathtaking.

There aren’t too many second chances in life, but I’m thrilled I got another chance to see Bachelor Girl. They were one of the most talented Aussie acts of the 90s, and in 2011 they’re sounding every bit as good.

Image source: Stephen Katulka