Having launched her new album The Arousing a few weeks back at the Esplanade, Kerri Simpson and VeVe are now half way through a four-week residency on Sunday nights at the Cherry Tree, a situation that takes on more of an atmosphere of a friendly gathering than a formal performance. And that, in a strange way, makes perfect sense. The material on The Arousing - an unforgettable album in its own right - carries within it a unique intimacy beyond and above the physical substance of the songs. While Ah Jole may have cornered the market in relentless decibel catharsis, there's something at the heart of the song that demands the meeting of emotion and introspection. While that's not always easy when you're having bits of yourself stepped on by curious punters searching for the bar at the typical pub gig, this arrangement gave those who were there Kerri and VeVe live in their loungeroom, or as close to it as it gets.

Kerri is playing at the moment with an incarnation of VeVe completely different from the band that recorded the album, but that proves to be no hindrance at all. Former White Cross members Pasquale Monea and Randall Thain have taken on bass and guitar duties respectively, while Michael Davis has taken over on drums. Those who've heard the album but aren't personnel trainspotters would never notice the difference, though. This tightly rehearsed incarnation of VeVe is completely comfortable with the songs and more than capable of translating the recorded versions to the live format.

If you're not familiar with Kerri's music, by the way, try to imagine Tom Waits and The Church running into the ghost of The Doors in the middle of a Victoria Williams recording session. Or better yet, just track down the album. And while Kerri's voice is breathtaking on record, it somehow takes on even more energy and excitement live, choosing to completely ignore the fact that its owner was shaking off a dose of The Flu That Ate Melbourne.

Opening with a brief, unrehearsed, acoustic set that became a full band affair of its own volition, the depth and focus in Kerri's performance was evident from the first song, coincidentally one from back in the White Cross days. The atmosphere of spontaneity was abetted by the inclusion in the set of material from the first VeVe EP, the title track of which ended up being one of the highlights of the night. But it was a trio of songs from The Arousing that had the greatest impact, not least due to their transformation from recorded to live versions. All Night Forever adds a layer of desperation to the gorgeous guitar bed of the song - a more electric version than the one on the album (indeed, most of the album material is endowed with an electric edge on stage). 51 Years is the song that couldn't possibly have worked live, but thanks to a sparser arrangement and some superb delayed-guitar work by Randall Thain, it becomes a whole new experience. Ah Jole steps away from the recorded version's relentlessness a little, which is almost disappointing for a brief moment, before it escalates into white-hot aural terror and shatters before your ears. This is, you see, the kind of gig you walk away from wanting to live again

A compelling, original and genuinely individual songwriter and performer - and assisted by an excellent band - Kerri Simpson provides a handy reminder of how good it can be when music is done right.

Anthony Horan
Beat Magazine Melbourne,  June 14th 1995.