“Lou Reed wows Sydney” January 20, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in > Reviews, Lou Reed's Berlin, State Theatre.1 comment so far
Lou Reed put on an amazing show last night at the State Theatre. He is performing his 1973 album “Berlin” for the first time over 3 nights as part of the Sydney Festival.
The music was phenomenal. At times dark, somber and challenging and at other times spirited and uplifting. The band was top notch featuring some of the original band members from the album complimented by members of the Australian Children’s Choir and a great strings and horns section. Notably, his back-up vocals Sharon and Antony were outstanding.
The show concluded with an amazing encore with members of the audience flocking to the stage. Sharon and Antony both took to the stage to lead a song each. Sharon’ s voice was rich and powerful while Antony’s voice was smooth and mesmerizing. Lou Reed finished with another song and the crowd responded with a long standing ovation.
Lou Reed is a great entertainer. He was very modest about his performance and showed genuine appreciation towards his band.
A night to remember.
Here’s what the media had to say:
“Lou Reed wows Sydney ” – ABC News (Transcript from interview) View article
“After 33 years, dark Berlin lights up” – The Australian View Article
“Lou comes for a walk on the sad side” – SMH.com.au View Article
Festival Pics of the Day January 19, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in > Festival Updates, > Photos, > Reviews, Beck's Bar, CarriageWorks, Lou Reed's Berlin, Snugglepot & Cuddlepie, State Theatre.add a comment
Here are some of the best new Festival pics.
Click more to see the full size images and captions
“The Best Jazz in the Domain Ever” January 17, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in > Photos, > Reviews, Jazz at The Domain.add a comment
Jazz in the domain was amazing this year. Titled “Noite Brasil” it was Jazz with a Brazilian feel led by Oscar Castro-Neves. The music was great and it was a heightened by the backdrop of an amazing sunset.
Here’s what the media had to say:
SMH – “This was easily the best ever Jazz In The Domain.” View Article
Daily Telegraph – “The Jazz In The Domain Noite Brasil concert crowd was so much bigger than expected, the festival’s entire Domain stock of wine and beer was drunk in one night.” View Article
Sky Orchestra (Video and Pics) January 16, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in > Photos, > Reviews, > Videos, Sky Orchestra.add a comment
Luke Jerram, the artist behind the Sky Orchestra, leaves a message to Sydney:
5th and final flight of Sky Orchestra has been completed. We’ve been lucky with the weather but conditions are still 10x more reliable than when we fly in the UK. Each day we’ve been chasing the balloons to get footage from the ground. Short films can be seen on youtube.
Families have been coming out of their homes in their pyjamas to greet the balloons as they land. Apparently, a young girl was told off by her dad for playing the TV too loud in the morning. He didn’t believe her at first when she said the music was coming from out of the sky.
With great thanks to all the pilots, crew and sydney festival staff for making Sky Orchestra such a success.
Sweet Dreams Sydney X..
Luke Jerram
Click more for some great pics from Flickr and video from YouTube.
Festival Pics of the Day January 15, 2007
Posted by TheFarmers in > Festival Updates, > Photos, Jazz at The Domain.add a comment
Here are some of the best new Festival pics.
Click more to see the full-size images.
Who’s sleepy? NOT WE! January 15, 2007
Posted by Festival Team in > Festival Updates, Jazz at The Domain, Taylor Mac.add a comment
There is a never ending load of fun in this year’s festival that we’ve decided to catch some z’s in the wee morning hours so we can party for the rest of the day.
Jazz in the Domain on Saturday was an absolute blast! Oscar Castro-Neves and his band created a Brazilian world of beats and grooves that had the whole crowd in the Domain dancing away! Strangers danced with strangers and everybody became friends while we cheered and grooved to the beat.
BUT alas, that night has passed. so what’s on today? There are two opening nights tonight: the fantastically fabulous Taylor Mac at the Opera House as part of the About An Hour group, and the much anticipated Lost and Found Orchestra by the Stomp company! Plus Kamuyot at Carriageworks, Eh Joe at Parade Theatre.
Get ready for the second week of Sydney Festival, it will rock your socks!
Pics of the day January 12, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in > Festival Updates, > Photos, Beck's Bar, Beck's Festival Bar.add a comment
Here are some of the best new Festival pics.
Click more to see the full-size images
Rosanne Cash @ The 2007 Sydney Festival January 10, 2007
Posted by Festival Team in Rosanne Cash.add a comment
It all started at the State Theatre on festival launch night Saturday Jan 7, Rosanne walked slowly onto the stage of the State Theatre sat down at a grand piano and Rosanne Cash: Black Cadillac began.
Cash treated festival goers to three Sydney Festival exclusive shows, two at the State Theatre and the last night at Parramatta’s Riverside Theatre.
Click here to listen to Rosanne Cash on Stage Noise’s special podcast on the Sydney Festival 2007
Look at our beautiful Sydney dawn! January 8, 2007
Posted by Festival Team in > Photos, Sky Orchestra.1 comment so far
This is a great image we got from one of the Sky Orchestra balloons hovering over a Slumbering Sydney!
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Click more to see the full-size image.
Sky Orchestra – A success! January 7, 2007
Posted by Festival Team in Sky Orchestra.add a comment
Seven hot air balloons slowly rising in the morning sky accompanied by mystic eastern influenced soundscapes marked the start of the 2007 Sydney Festival.
Early Saturday morning the sky of Sydney’s western suburbs was littered with colour. Residents were treated to an especially unique morning suprise yesterday with seven hot air air balloons part of Sky Orchestra.
Sky Orchestra – Photos January 6, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in > Photos, Sky Orchestra.7 comments
We’ve received some great photos of the Sky Orchestra. Thanks Sara L.
Click more to see the full size photos
Kaki King January 4, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in Kaki King, The Famous Spiegeltent.1 comment so far
Kaki King is an amazing performer who was spotted performing on the subways of New York.
Violent Femmes January 3, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in Violent Femmes.add a comment
The Femmes are one of the headlining acts in the Beck’s Bar this year.
They’re playing on Wednesday the 24th. Official event details here.
The event is sure to be huge.
Dust Tones at the Beck’s Bar January 2, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in Astronomy Class, Beck's Festival Bar.2 comments
Dust Tones at the Beck’s Bar is going to rock out.
It features “Kid Kenobi & MC Shureshock, The Nextmen (UK), Astronomy Class, All Good Funk Alliance (US), Mark Walton & Regal feat. Morganics, Bentley, live visuals by Spook.”
Astronomy Class is an awesome new Aussie hip-hop / dub / reggae clan made up of Chasm, Sir Robbo and Ozi Batla. You can buy their new album Exit Strategy from Inertia Records
Festival official siteLou Reed January 2, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in Lou Reed's Berlin.add a comment
Dug out some links about Lou Reed:
Official Site
Wikipedia site
Fan’s website
Reprise, his record label
Lou Reed – Berlin Photos January 2, 2007
Posted by FarmerB in > Photos, Lou Reed's Berlin, State Theatre.add a comment
There are some photos of Lou Reed’s Berlin on his website.
Madeleine Peyroux December 22, 2006
Posted by Festival Team in Madeleine Peyroux.2 comments
Madeleine Peyroux is perhaps the most exciting jazz artist to emerge in recent times. And her latest album, Half the Perfect World, released in September 2006, is full of sublime moments where time stands still. Click here for a full review.
Sky Orchestra – Takes Off December 18, 2006
Posted by Festival Team in Sky Orchestra.7 comments
Sky Orchestra will be launching Sydney Festival this year
Seven hot air balloons, each with speakers attatched, take off at sunrise on a quest to find dreamland.
This blog site will provide a forum for you to document your thoughts on the project and also share your experiences and dreams.
Here you can have a sneek peek on what Sydney is going to experience come January.
Lou Reed’s Berlin New York Reviews December 18, 2006
Posted by Festival Team in > Reviews, Lou Reed's Berlin.1 comment so far
Phenomenal reviews from New York, where Lou Reed’s Berlin was performed to sold out audiences
Music Review | ‘Lou Reed – Berlin’
Sentimental Journey: A Return to ‘Berlin’
By JON PARELES
Published: December 16, 2006
Lou Reed’s album “Berlin,” a song cycle about a romance doomed by drugs, promiscuity and violence, was one of his career’s grand anomalies when it was released in 1973. Instead of the stripped-down rock that made punk archetypes of Mr. Reed’s best-known songs, the sound of “Berlin” was not primal but theatrical, with strings and horns and touches of cabaret. The album was either dismissed as pretentious and overwrought or hailed for its ambition; it didn’t sell, but it garnered some lifelong fans. After 33 years, it had its first staged performance at St. Ann’s Warehouse on Thursday night. There, “Berlin” was less startling but no less ambitious or, in the end, touching.
Serenading Balloons Open Sydney Festival 07 December 18, 2006
Posted by Festival Team in Sky Orchestra.5 comments
An aerial concert for tens of thousands of slumbering Sydney residents , Sky Orchestra will open Sydney Festival in the west this January with a fleet of hot air balloons flying low over peoples houses and broadcasting evocative music.
Lou Reed’s Berlin December 14, 2006
Posted by Festival Team in Lou Reed's Berlin.3 comments
Tickets for Lou Reed’s Belin sold out in record time when it was performed at St Anne Warehouse in New York City on 14, 15 ,16 and 17 December.
The New York Times was clearly just as excited as The Sydney Festival Team
Click here for thr NY Times feature.
Keep an eye out because we will be posting the reviews from the weekends performances, which we heard were absolutely magic.
To get you in the mood for The Sydney Festivals exclusive season of Lou Reed’s Berlin Click we found this amazing video.
Click here for footage of Lou Reed performing Caroline Says in 1972 in Paris.
E.S.T. December 13, 2006
Posted by Festival Team in e.s.t., Riverside Theatre.2 comments
“There are ordinary jazz piano trios and there is E.S.T.” (The Time UK), Sweden’s premier export E.S.T. is perhaps one of the most riveting and exploratory piano, bass and drum trios in the world. Check out their music by clicking here.
