I snuck in 10 minutes after the show had started with my three children. There was barely a spare seat in the house but the excellent staff at the Crystal Palace conjured up a few more chairs and helped us find a decent spot.

Music is normally something to be enjoyed at full volume in my view but this was different. With Cy on guitar and Vanessa on double bass, this music was all about creeping melodies and stories. It's testament to the folk duo that Cy made the top 5 this year for APRA's Silver Scroll Awards - the prestigious songwriting awards voted by peers and this year won by the meteoric Lorde.

The blend of Cy and Vanessa's voice was quite perfect - neither overshadowed the other and the blend of sounds brought the songwriting to the fore. There were some rather interesting tales, including one about being involved with your brother's wife.

Despite having just two stringed instruments, the sound lacked nothing. It was a wonderful afternoon concert and testament to their skill that each person in the room was held captivated and utterly still, leaning forward to hear more throughout the whole show. The pair are quietly intelligent, much like their very enjoyable music.

Jenny Rudd, Guest Blogger