Taking us home

Terri-Lee Adendorff puts her hand on her hip, gives a seductive smile and sings, “I’ll take you home. Ah, ah, Ooo, I’ll take you home!” When the song is finished she says, “We’ll take you all home,” and is met by shrieks and clapping from the audience packed in on Slipstream's dance floor.
On Friday night, two-piece band, Life of Riley, launched their debut album, The Golden Age of Us. Lead vocalist and song writer Adendorff and guitarist and composer, Nich Mulgrew commanded the audience’s attention from the start with their short, catchy folk pop tunes. They looked the part – preppy-looking Mulgrew with his school boy pants and almost-but-not-quite emo side-brushed fringe. Adendorff wearing a sexy, flowing top, kitten heels, long, sleek black hair and sophisticated rectangular D&G spectacles.
The band started off in Grahamstown in 2008, when Adendorff and Mulgrew were in first year. As the band progressed, their fan base grew and in 2010 they won Grahamstown’s Acoustic Battle of the Bands. Despite Mulgrew living in Cape Town this year to do honours, the band have managed to keep together. They played at Splashy Fen music festival last weekend and have finished recording and packaging their album this year. Although the distance has made things tricky, the band will continue.
During the show, Adendorff’s distinct voice ranged from high and lively, to soothing, raunchy, low and sweet. Mulgrew kept his head down as he strummed away at the guitar. The pair kept the audience on their toes as they moved between cheeky, sing-and-clap-along tunes to an angry song and then to a slower, sad song.
“This is a sad song, so weep if you must,” said Adendorff.
“With joy,” Nick chips in.
The band members’ sense of humour peppered throughout the show keeps the audience laughing. After performing a cover of Florence and the Machine song “Kiss with a Fist”, an audience member says, “They were flipping good hey!” The comments overheard after the show were all in the same vein.
The band is selling CD’s for R60 including postage. To get one, email Mulgrew on nichmulgrew@gmail.com.

Published in Grocott's Mail on 3 May 2011.