Sign Of Four - Concert Review - Fremantle Shipping News

A house designed by Dimitri from Earth house design studio nestled amongst stucco and stone cottages, with a Tesla parked out front, a friendly dog wandering around, and a canopy of plane trees over a narrow street. I must be in South Fremantle.

In I went, though the zombie-proof door, into a stunning home with polished concrete, smooth timber, and trace amounts of steel throughout. Pat and Sonya’s place used to be the garden of the house next door, tonight it’s a stage.

Sign of Four formed in 2022, with their first beautiful and intimate performance held in Jude’s living room. They had a few “mad science ideas” to try out together: how would it sound when you tied together a string quartet with non-traditional instruments for a contemporary spin? Que the quartet, or “gang of four” as I’ve dubbed them, comprising of Jude Iddison, Shenzo Gregorio, Daniel Drieberg, and Mardae Selepak (tonight also featured Dan’s brother Joel on drums). They get together “seasonally” when Shenzo flies in from Queensland.

Fremantle Shipping News recently wrote about this dynamic group here.

We, a lucky group of surely no more than twenty, got to sit mere feet away from the Quartet with a cosy log fire keeping us warm and safe from the light drizzle of rain. They transported us all over the world, including back to the UK with a lovely take on “Danny Boy”.

Highlights of the joyous night are almost too numerous to recount here. Beholding, right up close, an incredibly talented, humble, and technically proficient group of musicians. Seeing the inside of an award-winning architecturally-designed home. Hearing how Dan and Charlie got “C Funk Proper” and the observations of a legal alien Englishman in New York. Witnessing an innovative new use of “chopsticks from the top drawer” on violin strings. Chatting with friendly locals who all know each other or are just about to. Enjoying homemade scrumptious wood-fired gluten-free pizzas with a glass of vino from the marvellously kind Maria. Being invited to get up and dance to the music, which I naturally did with much stylish grace in the middle of the room, after lamenting last week that concerts should involve more dancing.

Then cue an astonishing, steely rendition from Shenzo’s shimmering purple Octave Viola. An instrument much like a cello but with a totally unique sound that blew us all away.

We were also serenaded later in the evening by motorbike frogs in the garden pond!

A few more fun facts that I learned tonight: Shenzo’s groovy viola is a rare creature, particularly those steel back strings. They typically have a lifespan of just five years, and the last known supplier of them has gone bust. All the more special for it. Every time he plays them it’s a little precarious. Daniel, who is not (yet) a Fremantle local is trained in classical violin and organically transferred his skills to playing his American mandolin, acquired during a recent inspiring trip to the States. Mardae also has a beautiful voice and warm guitar talent. Jude is on the verge of completing her phD in violin improvisation and we are all rooting for her!

Tonight was their debut performance of just eight shows until 4th October in Perth, including a few private home events and Nanga Music Festival. They’ll be doing a tribute to Sting at the Ellington Jazz Club this Wednesday (Sting Quartet!) and performing across Cottesloe and Hamilton Hill to name a few.

Pull a few strings and go see them. Unforgettable.

10 stars

*This performance was held on 27 September 2024

By Gayle O’Leary

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