If you are a live music regular and if you are someone who is lucky to find themselves in the right place at the right time, you might have seen Maggie Rutjens or Louis Donnarumma perform. If you haven’t and considering they’re both talented musicians in the process of blooming into full form, you’re in for an amazing performance.

The location too, was new and unexpected. The venue, Vinyl is a little bar frozen in time, a perfect slice of 70s cheese. The mood was achieved well before the show had started. Vinyl is a fitting spot for music delivered as intimately as this.

The purpose of a musician is to act as both an entertainer and storyteller. Maggie, despite her youth and apparent precociousness, has tapped into this potential leaving plenty of room to spare. Instead of pretending to be something she’s not, Maggie shares anecdotes from her past and hopes for the present, all the while managing to come off as honest and unpretentious. She is young but is not trying to hide it. Her whole creative outlet is an exercise in life affirmation.

She still has room to grow, but for now, she is undoubtedly one of Adelaide’s greatest musical acts. During her set she riffed off a collection of songs from her album as well as a gorgeous cover of ‘Sea of Love.’ Maggie is able to expertly pluck a guitar, experiment with a variety of lush tones, and perform with the grace and humility of someone who has done it since they are 6 years old. Surprisingly, this was her first headline show.

Louis, too, is a young solo musician, and it should be reiterated if only to put in context the kinds of things he is singing about. His tales of wanting, heartbreak and intimate involvement are impressive, but might seem a little disingenuous if you consider his youth. His voice is nonetheless wonderfully trained and sustained, his high notes reminiscent of an uncertain Jeff Buckley.

However, it was when the two got together that the show really began. The chemistry between two people who had only “met a few months ago” was pretty remarkable – but amazing things can happen in a short amount of time. The combination of the two create real magic. One of the songs played, as we were told, was started by Maggie and finished off by Louis. If that song was an example of their combined forces, they’re on to something. Both of them are discerning and able to work with each other’s strengths. The show was a humble but satisfying evening in a time where Adelaide is concerned instead with theatrics, bombast and in your face performances.

All in all, this was a well-executed showcase of two of Adelaide’s most promising talents.