Melbourne rapper Illy is taking his music to regional Australia with the ‘Good-er Life’ tour, starting August 1st in Canberra.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Illy spoke about the connection he feels with fans during his shows, especially those moments after the music ends.
“There’s a song on the album about my dad, and on the last tour, a few people came up and shared how it had connected with their own experiences and people they’d lost,” he recalled. “You can’t take those moments for granted. They’re not easy things to talk about. For someone to come up and be that vulnerable with you, it takes courage. You’ve got to respect that.
Illy said regional shows offer a unique energy. “Sometimes the venues aren’t even dedicated live music spaces, but regional crowds make up for that in the energy. The intensity is next level. Everyone’s up close, sweaty, going hard. Whatever it lacks in grandiosity, it makes up for in connection.”
The Good-er Life tour follows his successful Good Life album, which faced delays but eventually hit number one. Illy says the extra time gave him perspective and allowed for a deluxe edition with acoustic tracks and fan favourites like “Free Hand”.
Elsewhere in the interview, he also described how his live performances have evolved over time. “Back in the day, my sets were just 100 miles an hour from the first second to the last,” he said. “Now, I’ve learned how to control the room. To shift gears, let people breathe, then build it back up. That all come down to experience.”
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For Illy, the tour is about more than music or fame. “If the crowd’s up for it, that’s all I care about,” he said. “If I talk to people after the show and they tell me they had a good time, I really don’t give a fuck about anything else. That’s what it’s about.”
Illy’s regional tour kicks off in Canberra on Friday, August 1st. Ticket information for the tour can be found here.
