Camera Obscura
I always get so excited about the Sydney Festival. This time it was no different. Rumours had it the Scottish indie pop-rockers Camera Obscura were going to hit the town this January, and to my extreme delight, yes they are! Often compared to one of my absolute favourite bands Belle & Sebastian, this fine quintet came to my attention only a couple of years ago with Let’s Get Out of This Country. I fell in love with their memorable intimate bedroom pop melodies instantly. This is one band you will absolutely adore in the outdoor settings of the Beck’s Festival Bar.
It won’t be as epic as this year’s All Tomorrow’s Parties, but anything staring the brilliant Warren Ellis assures a spellbinding experience. Dirty Three and Laughing Clowns will perform Ocean Songs and History of Rock ‘n’ Roll Vol. 1 albums in their entirety at the Enmore Theatre on Australia Day. Dirty Three formed in Melbourne in 1991 and are Warren Ellis (Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds and Grinderman), Mick Turner and Jim White. Sydney-based Laughing Clowns formed in 1979, after Ed Kuepper left The Saints. Alongside Kuepper and Jeffrey Wegener, the Sydney Festival version of Laughing Clowns will also feature Louise Elliott, Les ‘Biff’ Millar and Alister Spence.
In my opinion, festivals are just as much about seeing your favourite artists, as discovering new ones. I am quite keen to check out the Chicago-formed alternative country husband and wife duo The Handsome Family, especially since I’ve never seen anyone perform in The Famous Spiegeltent before. The Handsome Family have an impressive musical career of 14 years and nine albums! I say bring on some surreal, poetic American folk.
A new addition to Beck’s Festival Bar are the wonderful folk-rockers The Decemberists. This is an unmissable gig people!
When in Sydney 