brisbane music

Legendary improvisers, The Necks, who count Brian Eno and Nick Cave among their legions of fans are returning to Australia for a national tour in February/March 2010.

Not entirely ambient, nor minimalist, nor jazz, The Necks create a music that is unique in the world today. Since their beginnings nearly 22 years ago, they have continued to craft an immersive, hypnotic, ritual-like concert experience. As The Guardian (UK) said: “The Necks can find eternity in a grain of sand.” Their completely improvised concerts on acoustic piano, bass and drums have the room ringing with sound and the audience utterly mesmerized.

Mon 15 - Wed 17 FEB The Corner Hotel, MELBOURNE

Fri 19 FEB The Metro Theatre, SYDNEY

Sat 20 FEB Powerhouse, BRISBANE

Sun 21 FEB Community Centre, BYRON BAY

Sat 27 FEB Street Theatre, CANBERRA

Mon 1 MAR Charles Hotel, PERTH

Wed 3 - Sat 6 MAR Adelaide Festival with Back to Back Theatre, ADELAIDE
Sun 7 MAR Spiegeltent, ADELAIDE

In the last couple of years, The Necks have been going from strength to strength; they have completed several tours of Australia, Europe and the US, performed at the Nick Cave-curated ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’, collaborated in an acclaimed foray into theatre with Back to Back Theatre’s ‘Food Court’, performed with legend Brian Eno in a series of three sold-out concerts at the Sydney Opera House, and released their fifteenth album, 2009’s ‘Silverwater’.

Truly they are one of Australia’s most highly regarded musical ensembles, and critical acclaim worldwide reflects a growing realization that these three Australians have created a way of making music unlike anything else. Highly respected music writer Richard Williams, in his recent book ‘The Blue Moment: Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue and the Remaking of Modern Music’ said “the new music I would find it hardest to do without, fifty years after ‘Kind of Blue’, is that produced by The Necks.”

Fortunately for Australian fans, The Necks undertake annual tours of their homeland, and it is with great pride that they announce their upcoming run of dates for February – March 2010.
Highlights of the tour include a reprise of The Necks’ legendary presentations at Sydney’s Metro and the Brisbane Powerhouse, return visits to favoured haunts such as Melbourne’s Corner Hotel, Byron Bay’s Community Centre and Perth’s Charles Hotel, and a season at the Adelaide Festival with Back to Back Theatre’s Food Court.

Long-term fans of this unique band come back time after time for their annual fix, as The Necks slowly conjure their sound mountains out of thin air, but if you haven’t heard them before, come along and check them out. You’ve never known two hours to pass so quickly.

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The Necks Live Experience:

“A performance by The Necks is a kind of religious experience”  THE AUSTRALIAN

“Absolutely riveting…how three musicians can sound like eighteen is a mystery… extraordinary magical sounds emerged from the ensemble…the way The Necks do this with acoustic instruments is nothing short of miraculous” FINANCIAL TIMES (UK)

“The Necks draw your attention to the music instead of the means: you never get the idea that they’re playing for an hour to prove that they can do it, or to showcase a glut of ideas, but simply to give you the pleasure of focusing on music in extreme detail” PITCHFORK

“Tonal, accessible, and yet profoundly challenging… The Necks are singular… Yielding things no one else does” THE WIRE

“The Necks communicate a fierce energy and warmth at the same time. Their music is a thrilling, emotional journey into the unknown.” THE GUARDIAN

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Great reviews for ‘SILVERWATER’ (Oct 2009 Fish of Milk - The Necks’ first studio album since 2006’s ARIA award-winning ‘Chemist’):

“Head and shoulders above the rest…the finest studio album in their 22-year history.” Sydney Morning Herald

“Austerely elegant” The Guardian (UK) 5 stars

“Maybe they should take a further leaf out of Morton Feldman’s book, and keep it rolling for another hour or two more next time?” Uncut Magazine
Rated Number 25 in Wild Mercury Sound’s Top 100 of 2009 (Uncut Magazine)

“If you know The Necks, you know you need this. If you’re new to The Necks, please do yourself a favor and check this out. Next to seeing them live (which some of us have been lucky enough to do, oh my god they were good), this will demonstrate quite effectively why we hold them in such high regard.” Aquarius records, USA

“The chemistry between Chris Abrahams, Lloyd Swanton and Tony Buck remains fresh and unhindered after over two decades playing together. Unplanned as always, the musical ideas that flow from this original position of nothingness are a testament to their philosophy (and a damning indictment of others who start with far more but end with so much less). Haunting, evocative, engrossing and astounding at each and every turn, Silverwater will defy any attempts at description but outstrip any expectation.” Alternative Media Group, Australia: (4 & 1/2 stars) The Necks