TUNE ALERT | YOUR GUIDE TO A GOOD TIME
We’re thrilled to bring you our HQ of summer sounds!
Overflowing with unique voices, criss-crossing genres and musical perspectives, Chevron Lighthouse is where it’s at this February.
From legends of the civil rights movement to rising stars of gothic pop and indie rock, we celebrate disco queens and beat poets while tipping our hat to psychedelia, New Orleans jazz and tech-house Rio Carnival style!
Keep reading for our Program Associate of Contemporary Music, Clara Iaccarino's low down on our 2020 line up and why you should see them!
BRIGGS' BAD APPLES HOUSE PARTY!
Three amazing artists, one epic night out!
BRIGGS
Inspiring and bold, Briggs is a strong voice of change and shines a light on Australia’s complex relationship with its First Nations people, calling for justice and equality. Now. Rising to popular acclaim as one half of ARIA award-winning duo A.B Original, Briggs is exactly the kind of artist I want to see and hear on stages across Australia and the world.
Hip hop fire and brimstone with a dangerous and soulful edge.
BIRDZ
Birdz is an NT rapper with killer flow. I first stumbled upon him via Bad Apples, the first Indigenous owned and operated record label founded by Briggs. He has collaborated with some of my favourite Australian artists from Jimblah to Serina Pech and James Mangohig and I'm hooked. He's part of Briggs’ Bad Apples House Party and will no doubt have the dance floor thumping.
A member of the Bad Apples crew with soulful killer rhymes.
MIIESHA
A break-out success from this year’s BigSound, a music conference and showcase festival in Brisbane, Miiesha is incredible. With poignant raps, spicy jams and one of those breathtaking vocals that make you swear, she’s a strong, proud Pitjantjatjara/Torres Strait Islander woman. I’m a huge fan of Kaiit, Mojo Juju, Ari Lennox and Lizzo, and for my money, Miiesha is part of this tidal wave of femme awesome.
Hip hop soul with a razor sharp conscience.
SPINIFEX GUM
There is no denying the force - both emotional and spiritual – unleashed by a cacophony of voices in harmony. When it comes to music, my first love has always been the human voice and I am constantly in awe of the mystical energy of choirs. The Marliya choir is extra special as it features an all-indigenous all-female troupe from Cairns. For Spinifex Gum, Marliya joined forces with The Cat Empire’s frontman Felix Reibl and wizard of the keys Ollie McGill. Part protest, part vocal eruption, this show has invoked standing ovations, tears and cheers all across the country. Do not miss this.
Choir magic in collaboration with two of the core cats of The Cat Empire.
NGAIIRE
I have been on the Ngaiire sidelines, mouth agape and eyes wide, for many years. In 2016, rain stopped play and we had to cancel her double bill with Lady Leshurr. Since then I have been waiting for the right time to invite the princess of neo-soul and costumed extravagance back to our shores. The time is now, and this powerful woman is bringing the wild with her trademark vocal gymnastics and electro-infused beats.
A wild and exultant ride of hypnotic proportions.
EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS
Possessing one of the country’s most gut-wrenching soul vocals, Emma Donovan is a powerhouse of song. I have loved her in so many different incarnations from Black Arm Band to her solo work, but together with The Putbacks, she soars to her greatest heights. Continuing our commitment to showcasing the best artists our country has to offer, this double bill promises to be truly explosive. Sadly the wonderful Sharon Jones is no longer with us, but Donovan carries the torch for that power pack of joyful soul.
Soul-stirring vocal awesome enhanced by some of the country’s finest R’n’B players.
TREME BRASS BAND
We had such a rollicking success with the presentation of the Evan Sherman Big Band that we wanted more brass for the people! My fair leader, Executive Producer Anna Reece, pointed me in the direction of New Orleans’ charmers Treme Brass Band and we are so excited to present their first and only Australian show. Led by Benny Jones Snr, Treme ooze NOLA grit, flair and spark. As dapper as they are boisterous, Treme won’t let you sit down.
Jazzy good times from the heart of New Orleans.
ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER
I love indie bands. And the rise (and rise!) of the bedroom producer, Ableton and laptop/“press-the-space-bar-and-wave-your-hands-in-the-air” electronica made me cry a little on the inside. Enter RBCF, a refreshing, magnificent and downright epic indie rock band with driving guitars, hook-laden melodies and bloomin’ great song writing. Melbourne spawned them, Sub Pop Records embraced them and I’m just truly thrilled that they are part of our 2020 program. Truly.
Great songs, killer guitars, super tight delivery: RBCF are smouldering.
MOON DUO
Love me a slice of Californian psychedelic rock. As blissed out as they are mesmerising, Moon Duo deliver a sound that has also become synonymous with our west coast best coast via the likes of Tame Impala and POND. While the songs are top notch and the musicality is sublime, I’m most looking forward to seeing Moon Duo perform in a spaceship with an epic live show to boot. This will be the most talked about show from the Chevron Lighthouse program.
Psychedelic rock in a spaceship. Say no more.
KATE TEMPEST
When we kicked off, we promised the program will not only get you moving, but also create important debate. While there are others within the line up that will do so, Kate Tempest, beat poet and artist extraordinaire, is guaranteed to push the envelope. She’s bold, fearless, pithy and sophisticated. And we have been trying to lure her to Perth for four years. The world is on fire in all of the ways and Tempest is bringing the reckoning.
The beat poet of our generation, Kate Tempest is gut-wrenchingly awesome.
GUI BORATTO
A masterful DJ takes their listeners on a journey through sound and Gui Boratto is at the peak of his dancefloor manipulation powers. An architect by trade, Boratto is also a producer and DJ, crafting his tracks and live mixes with infinite grace. He builds kaleidoscopic layers of tech-house bliss upon vocal house anthems, infusing every track with Brazilian flair. Heaven.
Dance floor bangers of grace and jubilation, Rio Carnival style.
CRAIG DAVID PRESENTS TS5
The original caramel-smooth R’n’B heartbreaker, Craig David exploded into the pop stratosphere in the early noughties. A master of an infectious beat and cheesy hook, David has an overwhelmingly epic fan base of squealing women at his disposal. But before he was a heartthrob, he was a DJ. His latest incarnation combines his vocal sass with his DJ skillz. And the result is magic. If you’re at all confused by this whole situation, I urge you to check out his killer set at Berlin’s Tomorrowland. When he sings Rihanna’s Wild Thoughts and drops Stardust’s Music Sounds Better With You, I die.
Live vocals and mixing with one of the world’s sweetest R’n’B/pop princes.
G FLIP
Bursting out of her bedroom and into the wide world with her shimmering pop hits, the Melbourne singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist has inspired a new wave of innovators: unfiltered, driven and refreshing in their passion.
Look out for this front-runner in triple j's Hottest 100!
WEYES BLOOD
I wasn’t sure whether the program could handle the wonders of Weyes Blood and Aldous Harding within just a few days given they are perhaps cut from a similar cloth with their vintage folk stylings. That said, I couldn’t resist either. Weyes Blood’s Titanic Rising shook me to the core. Both classic and futuristic it is a fricking GREAT record that she describes as “Bob Seeger meets Enya”. Come fall in love. Again. And again.
Described as the millennial Joni Mitchell, Weyes Blood is outstanding.
EVELYN 'CHAMPAGNE' KING & MONDO FREAKS
I hate to pick favourites – as I in fact have many – but I have to say, this is the one show I am most eagerly anticipating. Having dabbled behind the wheels of steel, I’m a sucker for a disco drop and ECK is the absolute kween of said drops. Love Come Down and Shame are beyond words. My programming colleague from Golden Plains first tipped me to the possibility of presenting ECK and I have been on the trail ever since. If you like to dance, party and revel in retro glam, come find me on the d-floor. I’ll be the one in sequins. Lots of them.
Disco diva party good times with the kween of it all.
ALDOUS HARDING
Complex, ethereal and quite simply beguiling, Aldous Harding is rightfully one of the hottest tickets at the Chevron Lighthouse this year. I first saw her play in Melbourne’s Folk Club, opening for her then partner Marlon Williams. Awkward, yet mesmerising, her songs stripped us to silence instantly. A dream weaver and a sprite, this NZ wunderkind could be the next Kate Bush if she wasn’t so fantastically unique.
Aldous Harding’s gothic folk will leave a beautiful stain on your heart.
BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA
I first saw Blind Boys of Alabama at Bluesfest in Byron Bay and boy can these fellas sing! Masters of their craft, these dapper gents have a very special way with their audiences, taking you on a journey of church-like splendour. They love what they do and they do it with generosity, rigour and cheeky grins. I’m not one for a church pew, but the Blind Boys get my every hallelujah!
Gospel good times with some of the most magnificent gents in the business.
MAVIS STAPLES
To finally welcome the grandame of gospel soul to Perth Festival is an absolute coup. Mavis Staples is musical royalty, a singer-songwriter lauded for her political prowess, vocal richness and sheer staying power. Able to reinvent herself and remain relevant with collaborations spanning the spectrum of high calibre acts from Ben Harper to M Ward and beyond, Lady Staples is a living legend. Her sumptuous vocals will curl your fingernails right back.
A fiery furnace of soul, gospel and folk activism.
