Austin Power

Rachel Austin is singing about 'Dear Love' as opposed to 'Deer Love'. She wants us to appreciate the difference, because you wouldn't want any confusion, kind listeners. We all smirk at the possibilities of the latter, but pretty soon the crowd in McHugh's basement, Belfast is enjoying a song about personal rapture.

Some of her music is proudly eccentric. She doesn't really sound like Regina Spektor, but they both borrow from classical music and folk traditions to create bold tunes and wiggy statements. A few times, Rachel almost steers us into a power ballad, but revs off to somewhere more exalted.

'Did You Notice' is a fierce dismissal to an unwanted male. She coos like Billie Holiday, but sings about violence and disgust and the sanctity of marriage. Her musician pals are playing the violin, the cello, the mandolin and more, clearly enjoying the mission.

On the wall nearby, there's a slide show of pictures. Graham Smith the photographer has been following the artist for a year or more, and his shots reveal Austin in many stages of gaiety, creative focus and interesting attire. Tonight, she's wearing an ante-bellum ballgown that might have been cast aside by Scarlet O'Hara around 1861.

Altogether then, a top occasion and we all exit with our freshly purchased copies of the new album, 'Hello, My Uglies'.