Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Down Under: The Songs That Shaped Australia
House of Oz, Assembly Festival and We Rally Creative
Genre: Cabaret, Live Music
Venue: Assembly Bijou
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Powerhouse singer Michelle Pearson and her band explore the rich history of music from Australia, delving into the styles and challenges of the performers and the art and artists.
Review
Down Under: The Songs That Shaped Australia brings the rich history of music that emanated from the island nation and sent the songs all over the world. It is 60 years of music history in one night, performed by multi award-winning singer Michelle Pearson with her six-piece band. This is its Edinburgh debut.
One word describes this show: perfect. The lead singer, Michelle Pearson, is not only a powerhouse vocalist but she is a charismatic and extraordinary entertainer. She is also known as Australia’s singing cook but for this show, it is the music that cooks.
Each of the musicians is an outstanding player and has mastered the original rendition of each of the tunes. Aaron Nash plays keyboard and is an engaging narrator. Brendan Williams is on guitar, harmonica and backing vocals. Luke Ciaramella on lead guitar, Stephen Foster on bass, and Sam Millar driving the energy on drums round out the ensemble. And the sound engineer is probably the best I’ve heard this year at the Edinburgh Fringe. Vocals and instruments are perfectly balanced, clear, and at the right volume for the venue and audience.
The spoken narrative is brilliantly woven through the show to provide context and stories about the songs and the artists who recorded them. The selection of tunes provides variety musically and stylistically.
But let’s delve into some of the details of the show.
There are so many Australian hit-makers that grabbed our hearts and ears over the past decades. Songs tell stories of the land, of heartbreak, of Australian history. Pearson covers 20 of the iconic tunes.
Each song is introduced by describing the climate of its time period, the composer, the band who recorded it, and the significance of that song choice. She shares insights into the history of the music. For many, this is the soundtrack of their lives.
“Khe Sahn” by Cold Chisel sets the tone of the show. This high-energy, pulsating rock song is an anthem to Australian soldiers coming home from the Viet Nam War. “Solid Rock” by Goanna and “Beds are Burning” by Midnight Oil deal with colonization and issues of land rights for Indigenous Australians.
The Australian music scene transitioned in the 1970s and 1980s with rock bands playing in pubs and more audience interaction. “Friday on my Mind” by The Easybeats was one of the leading game changers.
By the time the group gets to “You’re the Voice” by Australian composer John Farnham, you should be on your feet, hands in the air, singing at the top of your lungs. This band will inspire you to join in and be part of the voice.
There was a “glass ceiling” for Australian female-led bands for decades. Stars like Helen Reddy and Olivia Newton-John had to leave Australia to become successful. That started to improve with “I Touch Myself” by The Divinyls. The lead singer Chrissy Amphlett, who paved the way for strong, sexy, outspoken women, died at age 53 from MS and breast cancer. She gifted the song royalties to an Australian breast cancer charity. Even global megastar Kylie Minogue struggled to be recognized by radio as a female artist. Pearson and her band deliver a stirring Minogue medley of “I Should be so Lucky”, “Spinning Around”, and “I Can’t Get You Out of My Head”.
Platinum-selling pop artist Tina Arena started as a child star. She challenged radio to play music from singers over 40. She has been inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame and stars in large-scale musicals. Pearson belts out Arena’s “Chains”, superbly nailing the high notes.
Other songs are by Daddy Cool, The Angels, INXS, and The Whitlams.
The show wraps with the Men at Work song “Down Under”, with the audience on their feet and moving to driving beats of the band. And as the band ACDC aptly said, “It’s a Long Way to the Top”. In just one hour, Pearson and her exceptional band have taken us to the top.
This is a very emotional and moving show. We hear stories of discrimination, challenge, environment, and hope. It is a truly beautiful and rewarding way to spend an evening at the Fringe.
