THE FUTURE
FACTORY PRESENTS
PREVIOUS TOURS:
ZEPPELIN UNLEDDED:
THE PAGE & PLANT YEARS
The event was fronted by singer Jimmy Cupples (Runner up in The Voice, 2012) who had an uncanny resemblance to Plant’s vocal style. Guitars and mandolins were played by the highly regarded James Ryan (Ross Wilson, Russell Morris, Kate Ceberano, The Badloves, and recent Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon). Kit Riley was on Bass (The Badloves), and Haydn Meggitt was on Drums and Percussion (Ross Wilson, Bachelor Girl).
All members were from Melbourne’s blues rock band King Canyon.
The show was enhanced by Middle Eastern Trio 'Alwan' and a String Quartet.
SONGS FOR SUZANNE: THE MUSIC AND POETRY OF LEONARD COHEN
The fascinatingly enigmatic Leonard Cohen’s first clutch of classic albums saw him become one of the leading proponents of folk. Signed following a Newport Folk Festival appearance, Cohen’s early albums were acclaimed by critics and ecstatically received by a community that, within two years, witnessed him provide a highlight performance at 1970’s Isle of Wight Festival and receive outstanding covers of his songs by folk giants such as Judy Collins and Joan Baez.
This show saw dazzling renditions of songs from those early albums by country outlaw Henry Wagons, Melbourne icon Rebecca Barnard, the shape-shifting post-colonialist Delsinki, and the incredible talent Alma Zygier.
Songs for Suzanne was a celebration of the beginnings of a distinguished career of a brilliant singer-songwriter. Alongside standards including “Bird On A Wire,” “So Long, Marianne,” “Avalanche,” “Hallelujah,” and “Famous Blue Raincoat,” many songs never performed by the man himself on his Australian tours were featured. Leonard Cohen’s initial success came as an author, with two novels and four collections of poetry preceding his debut album. Cohen’s own readings of some of these works, which saw him compared to James Joyce, were incorporated into the show.
Cohen’s songs were presented faithfully in the way they were originally recorded. Musical accompaniment for the singers consisted of mesmerizing finger-plucked guitar strings provided by Ben Dix and Dan McKay, and the haunting violin of Xani Kolac.
Audiences were spellbound by classic Cohen favorites from his most notable albums such as Songs of Leonard Cohen, Songs from a Room, Songs of Love and Hate, and New Skin for the Old Ceremony. Known for his haunting acoustic melodies and deep, raw vocals, Cohen was a true folk singer and poet who adapted his songs and style as time went on, never losing sight of the current music trends and modifying his sound through the decades.
There was one show only, so attendees joined us for an amazing journey through the music and poetry of Leonard Cohen.
