Flight Facilities Team Up with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Flight Facilities has announced its one and only Melbourne gig for 2015. And it’s looking like a whizz-bang affair. On Saturday, 17 October, as part of the Melbourne Festival, the Sydney-based duo will perform with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. That’s right; fans are to be treated to a classical-infused retake on Flight Facilities’ debut album Down To Earth under the stars, complete with soaring flute lines and harmonising strings.

“Long before making ‘Clair de Lune’, we both shared a love for classical music,” said Hugo Gruzman and James Lyell this morning. "Playing alongside an orchestra was almost inconceivable when we started Flight Facilities, but now we've been given the chance to collaborate and perform with one of Australia's greatest."

In addition to tunes from Down to Earth, you can expect a bunch of Flight Facilities’ singles and remixes, as well as some new bits and pieces, composed specifically for the MSO. And a dazzling videoscape will provide the backdrop.

“We're taking on the challenge of reinventing, not only the way we approach our live show, but our original pieces of music, too. For us, the opportunity to have Melbourne Symphony Orchestra reinterpret the contemporary as classical can only be described as 'a dream come true',” said Hugo and James.

During the past five years, Flight Facilities has featured in triple j’s Hottest 100 annually. At the same time, the pair has been making international incursions, with performances at Glastonbury and Coachella, as well as sold-out US and European tours, under their belt. Flight Facilities’ 2013 Melbourne Festival performance took place in the Foxtel Festival Hub, and involved the duo taking its audience on a forty-year journey through its various musical influences. Expect a similarly epic escapade for this year's show.

Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday 6 May at 9am. Undercover seating will cost you $69 a pop, while standing room/grass seating is going for $49. Nab yourself a spot right here. Meanwhile, you’ll have to wait until 4 August to find out what else will be happening at this year’s Melbourne Festival.

Watch Sam Rockwell dance his way through Flight Facilities latest video for 'Down to Earth' right here.