A Musical Guide to Sydney Festival 2012

Sydney Festival is synonymous with the crackle of summer – a new year, an expanse of possibility, and a rediscovery of this here great city, drink in hand and easy grins all round. The Fest has again delivered with the ultimate soundtrack to those sweltering nights. Take a look at our hit list of musical must-sees for Sydney Festival 2012.

PJ HARVEY
England’s first lady Polly Jean always guarantees to enamour, with her visceral, sensual brand of rock. See her croon songs from ode to her homeland ‘Let England Shake’, plus a crush of PJ classics, with live band comprised of Mick Harvey, John Parish and Jena-Marc Butty.
January 18-19 at State Theatre.

TUBULAR BELLS FOR TWO
The ‘70s record ‘Tubular Bells’ and its cover sit firmly in ‘cult classic’ status. Multi-instrumentalists Daniel Holdsworth and Aiden Roberts were so taken by it that they’re recreating the album live – 2 men, 20 instruments and a cheeky slash of acrobatics thrown in for good measure.
January 10-15 at The Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre.

41 STRINGS BY NICK ZINNER
Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner takes inspiration from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and turns it on its head. Joined by members of The Boredoms and Soft Circle, along with an assortment of acoustic and electric strings, drums and synths, Zinner creates a piece which is in turn, brooding, dark, and ultimately joyful.
January 22 at Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.

WASHINGTON PRESENTS INSOMNIA
Fans of Megan Washington, don’t expect a pow pow smack of her hits. Instead, Insomnia is a conceptual show incorporating art, photography, poetry and designs, drawn from the last 12 months of her life. To be performed only four times ever – in Sydney, Paris, London and New York – expect Washington laid bare.
January 25 at Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.

THE JOLLY BOYS
Spanning almost 60 years, including wild parties of Errol Flynn, The Jolly Boys have been kicking around, peppering the musical landscape with their Port Antonio flavoured mento (Jamaica’s answer to calypso). Think jumping covers of ‘Blue Monday’, Amy Winehouse’s ‘Rehab’, plus a rash of originals.
January 8 and 10 at the Spiegeltent, Hyde Park.

AMIINA
Amiina continues Iceland’s grand tradition of glacial, ethereal sounds. Formerly the string section for Sigur Ros, the group broke out on their own with their special blend of organised chaos. With their heady mix of glockenspiels, bells, saws and more, their electronica-infused sounds creep along the senses, taking you to a new plain.
January 24-26 at the Spiegeltent, Hyde Park.

THE WHITEST BOY ALIVE
These Norwegians have taut, precise pop down to a fine algorithm. Their sweet, danceable tunes are decidedly sunny-side up, perfect for shy first-date handholding through the crowds in the summer (case in point right here). They’re joined by local pop rockers New Navy.
January 21 at Festival Bar, Hyde Park Barracks.

MIKE PATTON’S MONDO CANE
Mike Patton, the intensely loved frontman of Faith No More isn’t afraid to try new things. With Mondo Cane, Patton takes on the guise of Italian pop crooner, backed by 25-piece ensemble including orchestra, band and choir. See him take on Morricone, Gino Paoli, Elmer Bernstein and more.
January 16-17 at State Theatre.

Back to Main Page