Songs From Northam Avenue

Overview

Forever Young was the track that launched Youth Group into stardom. A decade and a bit later, frontman Toby Martin has matured, both in the inevitable physical sense and in his song writing. At Carriageworks on April 29, he'll be launching his newest album, Songs From Northam Avenue — a collection of collaborative tunes that form a poetic narrative story of Sydney's west.

The album was written a few years back as part of a songwriting residency commissioned by Urban Theatre Projects. Martin spent his days in a front yard, and out the front of a local cafe in Bankstown, crafting his tunes to reflect his interactions with his new neighbours and surroundings. The people he met influenced the songs so much that they even began to collaborate with Martin, adding influences from Vietnam and the Middle East. The result is an honest, effusive album, by and for the community. At the all-ages album launch at Carriageworks, a number of the collaborators on the album will be joining Martin onstage for the live debut of their joint creation. Earlier in the day, Martin will also host a workshop for 30 people, where he'll chat about how he went about creating his latest LP — you can register here.