Sydney Festival 2012 program

Wed 2nd Nov, 2011 in Local News

Transforming the Harbour City into a bustling hub of creativity and good times this January Sydney Festival is set to bring us one of its most exciting musical programs yet, with the likes of PJ Harvey, Beth Orton and Mike Patton among some of the huge names to be gracing us with their presence.

Sounds in The Domain

Last here in 2010 on Faith No More’s resurrection tour, proving that some reunions are just meant to be, Mr Mike Patton will return to show us his (slightly) softer side with a free Mondo Cane concert in the Domain. If you’re not familiar with Patton’s operatic side project, Mondo Cane sees the master of melodic metal tale classic Italian pop tunes from the 50s and 60s and re-imagine them as only he could. There’s a choir, orchestra, band and one of music’s most experimental vocalists.

As always there will also be a host of other concerts and pop-up performances taking place all over the city with, 50s Jamaican band The Jolly Boys, New Orleans street band The Jolly Boys,jive masters Torcadero Dance Palace and aerial artist Nigel Jamison among the dozens of performers set to take over the streets on Festival First Night.

Concerts

PJ Harvey – Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th January @ State Theatre
Beth Orton – Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th @ City Recital Hall
West Side Story – Friday 27th and Saturday 28th @ Sydney Opera House
Taraf de Haïdouks & Koçani Orkestar: Band of Gypsies – Thursday January 12th @ Enmore Theatre
Mike Patton – Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th January @ State Theatre
Lambchop – Saturday 21st January @ City Recital Hall
Kort (Kurt Wagner And Cortney Tidwell) – Friday 20th January @ City Recital Hall
Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau – Friday 20th January @ Concert Hall
Tubula Bells for Two – Wednesday 18th –Sunday 22nd @ Seymor Centre
iOTA – Tuesday 17th – Sunday 21st @ Sydney Opera House

In a special performance entitled 21 Strings, the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Nick Zinner will lead an orchestral ensemble in an originally composed performance written to celebrate the 41st anniversary of Earth Day. Surrounding the stage are video screens featuring visuals by Yoshi Sodeoka, ERock and Dawn of Ma.

Washington Presents Insomnia is a new conceptual work by Megan Washington, created to be performed four times only – once in Sydney, then Paris, London and New York. The multi-layered show presented on Wednesday 25th January at Sydney Opera House will incorporate art, poetry, photography and designs, all drawn from Washington’s private collection.

Spigeltent Music and Performances

Festival Garden in Hyde Park is a Sydney summer highlight, an oasis for a drink after
work and the perfect setting to enjoy a balmy night filled with theatrical and musical
delights, including the Sydney sideshows for Falls acts J Mascis and Cant; plus Sugar Mountain performers Tune-Yards and Julianna Barwick.

Meow Meow’s Little Girl March: 5th-9th January
The Jolly Boys: 8-9th January
Amiina: 24th-25th January
Kurt Wagner: 22nd January
KORT: 19th January
Sam Amidon: 21st-22nd January
Fatoumata Diawara: 20th-21st January
J Mascis: 11th-13th January
Cant: 14th-15th January
Tune-Yards: 18th January
Julianna Barwick: 15th and 17th January
Vintage Trouble: 27th-29th January
Eleanor Friedberger: 28th-29th January

Keystone Festival Bar

Previously The Beck’s Bar, Keystone Festival Bar is the place to be after the sun goes down in January. Packed full with some of the festival’s greatest musical finds, summer nights are easily wiled away dancing in the Hyde Park Barracks.

Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro: 8thth January
Deerhoof, DJ Yamantaka Eye (The Boredoms): 9th January
Dan Deacon Ensemble, John Maus: 11th January
Sons and Daughters: 12th January
FBi Night: Shabazz Palaces: 13th January
Picnic: Andrew Weatherall & Neville Watson: 14th January
So Frenchy So Chic: Asa, Fefe: 18th January
So Frenchy So Chic: Nouvelle Vague, Moriarty: 19th January
FBi Night: Tune-Yards, Jonti: 20th January
The Whitest Boy Alive, New Navy: 21st January
Mad Racket: Peven Everett: 25th January
Pedrito Martinez Band, Watussi: 26th January
The Stepkids, Electric Wire Hustle: 27th January
Future Classic: DJ Koze, Prins Thomas: 28th January

There are of course a tonne of amazing theatre shows, films and exhibitions all taking place across January ad part of the Festival. Check out the Sydney Festival Website for the full program of events and ticketing information for each of the shows.