I’m glad I took a gamble with this young Norwegian singer. I’m very selective with my live gigs these days, and normally I’d hesitate to spend money on someone whose music I don’t know very well, but I just had a good feeling about this one.
Melbourne
Neko Case @ Melbourne Recital Centre
I ended up going to this concert by a fluke, randomly deciding to scroll through the Melbourne Recital Centre program on a whim one evening two weeks ago. Hooray for random flukes.
Christine and the Queens @ Forum Theatre
I thought this French pop star would be good to see live after catching her excellent performance on The Graham Norton Show a while ago, but holy guacamole I had no idea she would be that good. This funky, joyful, sensual show was easily one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to.
Chamber Philharmonia Cologne @ The Scots’ Church
It’s been a while since I’ve been to a classical music concert, in fact I think the last time was about two years ago when this string ensemble played in Melbourne. The new program, featuring pieces by Vivaldi, Bach and Saint-Saëns, made for a delightful evening out.
The Cat Empire @ Melbourne Zoo
This time last year I saw Grizzly Bear at Melbourne Zoo Twilights, and this year we enjoyed a live show by the homegrown veterans The Cat Empire. Can we keep the animal band name theme going for a third year in a row? Stay tuned!
Conversations with Nick Cave @ Melbourne Town Hall
I have my friend and fellow fan to thank for a chance to attend this very special and unorthodox event involving one of my all-time favourite artists. I’ve lost count of how many times I saw Nick Cave live, but this speaking tour, with Cave candidly answering unpredictable questions from the audience and performing picks from his enormous back catalogue on the piano, was something very different.
Florence + The Machine @ The Sidney Myer Music Bowl
I sadly missed out on the last time Florence + The Machine came to town about three years ago, so it was a thrill to see my favourite barefoot flame-haired pagan priestess live again.
