Take one beautiful song, add some incredible dancers, and you’ve got a recipe for something special. If you need a pick-up me, look no further than the launch clip for the Australian Ballet’s 2020 season, featuring Jeffe’s new song “Motionless.”
Of course, that minute and a half is a bit of a tease, so I’ve posted the full track too. “Motionless” seems super-chilled and breezy on the surface, but tap into those lyrics and you’ll hear their dark undercurrent. The song reflects on the darker corners of our mind and embracing all parts of ourselves, including the turmoil and struggle.
Jeffe spends most of her time in the UK now, but she’s got one more show for the Listen Out Festival, the Sydney date on Saturday, before she jets back. If you’ve got Listen Out tickets, make sure you don’t miss her set!
I’ve seen many musical productions in my time, but I can’t remember ever being greeted by a sign warning me of what was to come. There’d be sexual references, drug references, racial slurs, and strobe lighting effects. Oh yeah, and full frontal nudity. In all honesty, that was one of the few things I knew about Hair before arriving at The Art House in Wyong last week. However, I soon discovered that while the pink bits are what Hair is best known for, it’s far from the most important thing about this musical.
If the warning sign out the front wasn’t reminder enough that this musical might take us out of our comfort zone, the sight of Hugh Sheridan’s Berger crawling over the audience in little more than a loin cloth just a few minutes in did it. Seeing Hair certainly isn’t like your average night of musical theatre. It’s bold and funny. There’s a real youthful energy about it, despite its ‘60s setting. In fact, perhaps the young characters have a greater energy than the current crop because they’re connecting with one another rather than their smartphones!
Hair does an incredible job of capturing a moment of time. The characters live life, embrace experience, laugh, and love, but the spectre of the Vietnam War looms large. It catches you at moments, when the laughs give way to pathos. I have been lucky enough to live my life fairly removed from war. I remember the Gulf War in my youth, but watching it on TV didn’t feel too dissimilar to watching a Hollywood action film. It’s palpable here, like another character just waiting to tap the characters we quickly grow to love on the shoulder. They can shake it off for a time and sing another song or smoke another joint, but we know it’ll catch up to them.
Speaking of the songs, it’d be remiss of me not to mention this cast. There are the big names like Hugh Sheridan, Paulini, and Prinnie Stevens, with voices as striking and personalities as sparkling as you would expect of people with their profiles. But there were no weak links here. Matthew Manahan as Claude, Stefanie Cacamo as Crissy, and Callan Purcell as Woof were especially strong.
As the lights faded to black I found myself thinking that Hair was one of the most powerful pieces of theatre I’ve seen. A week later I’m still turning it over in my mind. It’s not like anything I’ve seen before, but that’s one of the things that makes it so special. Let the sunshine in.
This production is travelling all around the country. You can still see it at the following venues.
28 September 2019 – Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong (1.30pm & 7.30pm)
29 September 2019 – Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong (5pm)
3 October 2019 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney (8pm)
4 October 2019 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney (8pm)
5 October 2019 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney (2pm & 8pm)
6 October 2019 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney (2pm & 7pm)
11 October 2019 – Home of the Arts, Surfers Paradise (7pm)
12 October 2019 – Home of the Arts, Surfers Paradise (7pm)
If you saw Holy Holy on their recent tour, you may be wondering who was the incredible young support act with the Joni Mitchell-esque vocals. That’s Hallie, and with her EP set to drop on Friday, there’s no better time to get across the music of this Brisbane-based artist.
I featured her single “Nice as Rice” a few months back, but if you missed that make sure you don’t miss her latest single “Stuck In Mud.” It’s a powerful ballad with such a strong emotional core, a fact that’s made all the more surprising when you understand it’s the only song on the EP that wasn’t inspired by Hallie’s own experiences.
“It’s about two people in a relationship that just stay because it’s comfortable, which at the time it was written, I saw a lot of in my friends’ relationships,” she explained. “I think I didn’t realise it then, but looking back this song was a bit of a metaphor for my relationship with life. I was in a bit of a lull and felt safe, but not satisfied. For me ‘Stuck in Mud’ is a reminder to get out of my comfort zone and that constant security can’t teach you much. It’s a piece full of angst, frustration and muffins, and I am so connected and proud of this piece.”
“Stuck in Mud” comes from Hallie’s debut EP, Wink Wink Nudge Nudge. To celebrate its release, Hallie will get back in the tour bus. If you missed her supporting Holy Holy or are in the mood for a second helping, these are all the dates you need.
19 October 2019 – The Retreat Hotel, Melbourne
25 October 2019 – Vic On The Park, Sydney (supporting Annie Hamilton)
26 October 2019 – The Foundry, Brisbane (supporting Asha Jefferies)
31 October– Strawberry Boogie @ Unibar, Wollongong
Image used with permission from Habit Music Company
The working week seems to be dragging on, but Melbourne indie folksters GraceJean are here to lift your spirits with their romantic new single “Turn Away.” Take a listen and I’m sure you’ll be captivated by their sublime harmonies and organic sound.
“Turn Away” is the first single lifted from GraceJean’s debut album Long Black Road, which drops on October 4. They’ll celebrate its release with shows in Victoria and Queensland, including a very special hometown launch show on October 5. Here are all the dates you need music lovers!
5 October 2019 – Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne
19 October 2019 – One Tree Hill, Spring Gully
25-27 October 2019 – Tablelands Folk Festival, Yungaburra
1-3 November 2019 – Happy Wanderer Festival, Benalla
23 & 24 November 2019 – Queenscliff Music Festival, Queenscliff
With their new album Good. Bad. Happy. Sad available on all major streaming services now, it seemed like the perfect time to introduce you to South Sydney quartet Sketchy Fancy. The five-piece has got me grooving with the album’s lead single “Pub Rock.”
I love the vibrant horns, the wailing electric guitars, and the old-school storyteller vibe of the lyrics. If you’re vibing it too, make sure you dive into the rest of Good. Bad. Happy. Sad. It’s an eclectic collection of songs, but I guarantee it’s got plenty more gems. If you like what you hear, catch Sketchy Fancy at Bulli’s Heritage Hotel on September 27.
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
I love a great cover. They started to get a bad wrap around the height of the reality TV singing contest craze, but I think it takes real skill to interpret a song everybody knows and put your own stamp on it. Matt Joe Gow’s take on Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” is the latest cover to delight my ears.
It’s more subtle and sultry than Kate’s version, with a great Americana feel that really brings out the emotion behind the lyrics. If you want to hear it and his fantastic originals live, make sure you catch Matt Joe Gow at one of his upcoming performances.
15-17 November 2019 – Healesville Music Festival, Healesville
7 December 2019 – Bayview Country Art Club, Bittern (with Andrew Swift)
Life’s good for Millington, who is currently touring Europe and the United Kingdom with fellow Melbourne act Pierce Brothers. In that spirit of celebration comes his latest single “I Am That,” a life-affirming ditty all about embracing yourself and your voice. It’s a topic Millington understands all too well, as he used music to overcome a pronounced stammer.
“Music gave me the opportunity to communicate and express myself deeply, work things through whilst telling myself to sort my shit out when things got/get challenging and difficult,” he explained. “I have been speaking and thinking in rhythms for as long as I can remember.”
Millington hopes to tour Australia really soon, but in the meantime if you’re abroad, do yourself a favour and check him out with Pierce Brothers at the following shows.
25 September 2019 – Rotown, Rotterdam
26 September 2019 – 013 Jupiler Zaal, Tilburg
27 September 2019 – Melkweg, Amsterdam
28 September 2019 – La Madeleine, Brussels
29 September 2019 – Le Gibus Club, Paris
1 October 2019 – Doornroosje, Nijmegen
3 October 2019 – O2 Academy, Oxford
4 October 2019 – Thekla, Bristol
5 October 2019 – O2 Institute, Birmingham
7 October 2019 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
8 October 2019 – Òran Mór, Glasgow
9 October 2019 – The Deaf Institute, Manchester
11 & 12 October 2019 – The Garage, London
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
Kiwi-born, Melbourne-based artist Lakyn shows tremendous growth with the release of his new single “Choir Boy,” his first new music since releasing his EP “& Pains” last year. It’s an introspective track, interesting sonically but with some really powerful lyrics front and centre.
“Choir Boy’ is about timing and being at peace with where you’re at. It’s about knowing that wherever you are with your expectations, it’s important to remind yourself that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.” Lakyn explained.
You might have seen Lakyn supporting acts like Vera Blue, LAUV, and Eves Karydas. However, in November he’ll take top billing with his own headlining shows celebrating the single’s release. Catch him at the following venues.
7 November 2019 – Grace Darling, Melbourne
14 November 2019 – Low 302, Sydney
South Coast indie rockers The Vanns hit all the right notes with their new single “Deranged.” Just see if you’re not ready to sing along when that chorus kicks in!
“The song came about whilst I was staying over in London and I had up until the first chorus written with a rough melody,” explained Jimmy Vann. “Once I brought the song home it took a whole new direction of meaning.”
“Deranged” comes from The Vanns’ highly anticipated debut album Through the Walls, which drops on October 25. They’ve honed their live show supporting acts like Catfish and the Bottlemen and Ocean Alley, but they’ll be in the spotlight headlining their own album shows and appearing at some hot festivals later this year.
26 October 2019 – Hidden Lanes Festival @ The Zoo, Brisbane (FREE)
26 October 2019 – Gold Coast 600, Gold Coast
2 November 2019 – Stay Gold, Melbourne (Under 18s and 18+ shows)
9 November 2019 – Djerriwarrh Festival, Melton
14 November 2019 – Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide (18+)
15 November 2019 – Mojo’s, Perth (ALL AGES, Under 18s permitted with guardian)
16 November 2019 – The Sewing Room, Fremantle (18+)
7 December 2019 – The Metro, Sydney (ALL AGES)
The hits keep on coming from Conrad Sewell’sLIFE album. If you weren’t one of the music lovers who took this album to the top of the charts, make sure you take a listen to his new single “Big World.” I think this might be my favourite on the album, a sentiment that I share with Conrad himself!
“I wanted to write a song that summed up my life to date, and how many up and downs you go through to make your dreams come true,” he explained. “Starting from the day I was born, ending with what I want written on my gravestone. It’s a song that really sums me up as a person, from my love of the ‘90s and California to the fact I think anything is possible in this great big world of ours.”
Take a listen, and if you love what you hear, remember there’s more where that came from. Conrad’s LIFE album is in stores and on your favourite streaming services now.
Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia
