A live review from 2006 notes the vibes,12 string acoustic,bass guitar and vocals show.....

Dave Graney & Clare Moore, Stephen Cummings, The Darling Downs @ The Heritage Hotel, Bulli (15/04/06)
by: sassafrassilass (This review comes from the online magazine, Faster and Louder)

Parched for some slick Australian rock? Tonight, The Heritage Hotel could easily quench that thirst with a legendary line-up of some of this country’s underrated singer songwriters. For those of you familiar with alternative Australian music in the 90s, we’ve got Ron Peno, singer of sadly disbanded Died Pretty, and Kim Salmon singer of disordered punk band The Scientists and rock assault Beasts of Bourbon/Surrealists fame. I could end it right there but thankfully this glorious prehistory evolves into something more curiously interesting.
These two have merged to become The Darling Downs, a unique, and sometimes delicate, country music venture that pleasantly exceeds any expectations you might have of these two rock beasts. Well into their second song from their just released debut album, How Can I Forget This Heart of Mine, you could already sense something was happening. Salmon, musically self-possessed, delivered a solid wall of crunching guitar sounds that was more than a match for the other band of cutlery clanging, self absorbed diners talking too much over dinner.
Peno boldly relies on his vocal and presence ~ and what a presence it is. Gesticulating, his arms sway about with delicate hand gestures akin to the saving grace of a holy man summoning all who wish to follow, to listen and be healed. Though some moments, one could see it was just about him; a man utilising his strength as a singer perhaps coming to grips with himself. And as the mirrorball spun lightly around he sang with that genuine country torment oscillating between heaven reaching aural assaults to faint fragile quivers that could break your heart. And folks it’s pure salvation for a night betwixt a crucifixion and resurrection.
Following on is Stephen Cummings and having been around for eons I’ve always been curious about his style. Not being too familiar with his work [other than when he took on Steve Kilbey from The Church to produce 1996s The Escapist], I really wasn’t sure if he’d always been this conventional. Opening with She Set Fire to the House, from his 1988 Lovetown album, and some other few oldies, it was a good beginning but he then played songs from his latest creative endeavour, Love-O-Meter.His vocal is quite distinctive and it was smooth enough to garner enough support from the rest of the audience. The fact it’s his sixteenth solo album to date also underscores the music veteran he is.
But get set to swing it as martini hour’s arrived with Australia’s own lounge-cats Dave Graney and collaborator Clare Moore. Embodying freedom from what’s fast becoming Australian Idol nation, Dave wanders on with the panache of a psychedelic Errol Flynn, with Clare and bassist Count Dracula, aka Stuart Thomas. It’s a scaled back performance consisting of guitars, bass and percussion and they select tracks from an impressive back catalogue taking us on an interesting journey of nostalgia.
Opening with the languid cool of Night of The Wolverine it paves the way for You’re Just Too Hip, I’m Gonna Release Your Soul, Rock n Roll Is Where I Hide, Vengeance Is On Its Way [Don’t Worry] and, of course, Warren Oates, ode to 1960s off-beat character actor. But despite these sentimental interludes they perform new songs off what has to be one of this year’s more exotically titled albums Hashish [written by Graney] & Liquor [written by Moore]. My Schtick Weighs A Ton is one helluva shiny number and while ‘King’ Dave alternates between a 6 and 12 string in the set, Clare’s precision and brilliance as a xylophonist is mesmerising as she plays sophisticated mood twisting melodies. Giving us an insight into her own songwriting talent, A Taste of The Abyss is played conveying all the edgy atmosphere of an Edgar Allan Poe novel.
Dave, in between songs, applies his brand of 1950s bedroom comedy humour and concludes the night describing the entertainment scene in militaristic terms. . ."You’ve got your Officer Class, Your Infantry – that’s Shannon Noll - then you’ve got your Privates. Me? I’m Lt Colonel, Cavalry". Ah Dave, we salute you. Ya dig? All up, their performance is a compact hybrid of traditional smoky jazz spiked with the dynamism of cabaret flair, and important to note, all with minimal instrumentation. It’s a night that not only highlights their musicianship but encapsulates every dreamer’s desire to escape.

Vibes , guitar back in 1997

Clare behind the kit, Queenscliff 2006