Dreams & Stories | Queensland Symphony Orchestra with William Barton
review, music Harmonie Downes review, music Harmonie Downes

Dreams & Stories | Queensland Symphony Orchestra with William Barton

Sculthorpe’s Kakadu followed, which was a standout in terms of William Barton’s additions through didgeridoo. Note that this was not part of the original score and something Sculthorpe included after hearing Barton play. In part a beautiful homage between musos. I loved the harmonic shifts of the different instruments mimicking birds, trees, nature and the sometimes flight, fright, freeze and fawn.

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Reuben Tsang in Concert
music, review Glorianna Grace music, review Glorianna Grace

Reuben Tsang in Concert

The highlight of the day was Franz Liszt’s Rhapsodie espagnole S 254. This suggestive traditional Spanish music opened with a cadenza, included rapid chords and octaves, that was spiced with the feeling of improvisation. Tsang dazzled me with his exquisite piano techniques and I was impressed by the way he swept those 88 keys so blazingly.

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Dots+Loops: Rewind
review, music Triss Niemi review, music Triss Niemi

Dots+Loops: Rewind

The walk down memory lane ends, and we are ushered out in the foyer for the after party. There’s a bounty of cupcakes (I told you there would be cake didn’t I?) and HipHopHoe is waiting for us with an epic and eclectic set that has the crowd dancing their socks off for the last hour and a half of the night.

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“Post-genre means equity and inclusivity: every genre, every discipline, every community, has something valid to share.”
interview, music Nadia Jade interview, music Nadia Jade

“Post-genre means equity and inclusivity: every genre, every discipline, every community, has something valid to share.”

Looking at it this way, the most important aspects therefore weren’t just the pieces we programmed, or the particular genres involved, but how, and why, we do what we do. This realisation has given us so many more possibilities artistically, but also resulted in us curating using our values of social equity, non-hierarchical artistic collaboration, and celebrating community first.

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Hold Me Closer Tony Danza | The Farm
review, dance, physical theatre, music Kaylee Vera review, dance, physical theatre, music Kaylee Vera

Hold Me Closer Tony Danza | The Farm

Hold Me Closer Tony Danza took me by surprise. I expected a show that was much more focused on pop culture references and punchlines. These aspects were undoubtedly present, but the show was more impactful and thoughtful overall. The common ground of pop culture and music was used to bring the audience together and prime us for more complex topics. While watching, I felt simultaneously unsure of what was coming next and excited to see where the performers would take us. This show will be stuck in my head for a long time, alongside the slightly altered chorus of Elton John's Tiny Dancer.

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Global Fusion- India - 'Into the Light' |  Thomas Dixon Centre & BEMAC
music, dance, review, storytelling Ranjini Ganapathy music, dance, review, storytelling Ranjini Ganapathy

Global Fusion- India - 'Into the Light' | Thomas Dixon Centre & BEMAC

“I pay homage to the light,” says Menaka, gently reinforcing the intention of the performance to honour Diwali, the Festival of Light through an amalgamation of select Indian elements and Western influences. The mellifluous sounds of the Bansuri (bamboo flute) played dexterously by Darshil Shah juxtaposed against the lean silhouettes of professional Ballet dancers, Sarah Thompson and Jayden Grogan signal to us that more forces of global fusion are waiting to be unleashed. From the wings onto the stage, and into the light.

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Mosaic Multicultural Festival | Multicultural Australia & Brisbane Serenades
music, festival, review Harmonie Downes music, festival, review Harmonie Downes

Mosaic Multicultural Festival | Multicultural Australia & Brisbane Serenades

These are just some of the many performances featured in the massive action-packed program - there was so much content to discover. The event was so joyous and provided me with numerous insights on how multicultural Brisbane really is and its relevance to celebrate and promote. Not only that, but the audience loved seeing their own culture represented, just like a mini Olympics for the arts.

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Mzaza on the Art Boat | Brisbane Festival
review, music Ranjini Ganapathy review, music Ranjini Ganapathy

Mzaza on the Art Boat | Brisbane Festival

Brisbane’s Art Boat was more than a thing of beauty as it cruised on Maiwar that evening. We moved across melodies and water bodies in more ways than one. The Art Boat was a vehicle of creative expression and the universality of humankind. Like the request for an encore, it demanded that we paid attention to all that surrounded us externally and filled us internally.

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Manifesto | Stephanie Lake Company
dance, music, review Catherine Lawrence dance, music, review Catherine Lawrence

Manifesto | Stephanie Lake Company

Manifesto is a feast for many of the senses; a compelling show that offers ‘time away from time.’ Nine drumkits, nine chairs, nine talented drummers, nine dancers, three costume changes, and thirteen creatives combine to create one special 60 minute experience.

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BlakWarehouse Party | Blak Social & Brisbane Serenades, Brisbane Festival
review, music Kaylee Vera review, music Kaylee Vera

BlakWarehouse Party | Blak Social & Brisbane Serenades, Brisbane Festival

I was blown away by the music I was lucky enough to experience. Dameeeela, DJ Kritty, Sovblkpssy, and DJ PGZ provided the music, their tracklists were all unique, but all highlighted the best First Nations artists around the country with unique styles and remixes. Brisbane's First Nations dance music scene is deadly, and I am inspired to seek out more.

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NONSTOP | Dots+Loops
music, performance art, review Tristan Niemi music, performance art, review Tristan Niemi

NONSTOP | Dots+Loops

The ebb and flow between classic and future sounds was so well balanced the similarities between the two became more apparent as the festival progressed. Almost as if we were guided through a showroom full of refurbished antiques and new things that had been aged so well, we could not tell the difference.

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Songs of Love & War | Opera Queensland & Chrysalis Projects
music, opera, review Tristan Niemi music, opera, review Tristan Niemi

Songs of Love & War | Opera Queensland & Chrysalis Projects

Opera is not the snooze-fest many think it to be. It possesses the same drama, romance, and impassioned violence of the modern soap or young-adult drama. Imagine a Riverdale musical episode but if the singing was superb and the show was well-written. If held regularly, intimate and more financially accessible events like this might help improve my generations’ perception of this delicious artform.

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An Evening with Those Folk | Lawrence Menard & Clare Quinn
music, review Jaydem Martin music, review Jaydem Martin

An Evening with Those Folk | Lawrence Menard & Clare Quinn

They aren’t afraid to be honest and show their relationship on stage in a playful way, and I enjoyed the stories they told between each song while also sharing the meanings behind the music too. Those Folk manage to create songs that are deep, layered and explore multiple themes utilizing folk and incorporating other genres such as bluegrass and jazz.

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