Following on from the announcement that they’d be opening Adelaide Festival with a free concert, the legendary Neil Finn and Paul Kelly are joining forces for a national tour in February and March next year, taking in venues across the nation including Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and three nights in March at the Sydney Opera House.
The two cultural icons will perform as part of the one band, with set lists featuring a select number of songs from both their stellar careers.
With Kelly having just released his eighth studio album, Spring And Fall, and Finn preparing to record a brand new solo record to be released in late 2013, it’s a logical time for these two legends to come together.
According to the tour’s press release, this seed was planted a long time ago, “Paul and I have discussed doing a tour together since I thrashed him on my tennis court in St Kilda in ’93,” says Finn. “Good things take time and the only problem we have is deciding which songs to leave out.”
While Finn struggles to choose which of his Crowded House, Split Enz, Finn Brothers and solo catalogue to work into the set, while Kelly himself has a long backlog of material to sift through, with song choices ranging from “Dumb Things”, “To Her Door”, and “How To Make Gravy” among one of Australia’s most esteemed song catalogues.
In the tour’s press release Kelly praises Finn’s track record, all the while questioning his skills as a guitarist. “Neil has had good form over a long period of time – songwriting, singing and stuff – but his backhand still needs a lot of work.”
Luckily there are enough dates lined up to get through a large selection of both artists’ respective work.
The tour will start at the Palais Theatre in Melbourne, cross through Brisbane and Adelaide, and land at the Sydney Opera House for three dates in March before a closing show in Perth.
Joining them on the tour will be Elroy Finn on drums and Paul Kelly’s nephew Dan Kelly, with whom he collaborated on his eighth studio album Spring and Fall, released last month.
Amidst a changing music industry and a divide in how people consume new material, Kelly recently reflected on the importance of the album format saying in the press release for his new studio album: “There is deep satisfaction in encountering a set of songs that unfolds from start to finish and demands to be heard in its entirety.”
Spring And Fall follows a love story told from several points of view, and while it’s not a concept album as such, the singer-songwriter has designed it as a work in itself from start to finish, rather than a simple collection of songs.
Along with the two legendary musicians, Melbourne songbird Lisa Mitchell has been announced as a guest performer and support act for the tour’s Melbourne, Brisbane and A Day On The Green shows in Rutherglen and Armidale.
The indie sweetheart is building on the success of her positively reviewed latest album Bless This Mess which, according to our review sees her hinting at a possible crossover into rock territory. The album released last month follows the platinum selling debut Wonder and her well received debut EP Said One To The Other.
This tour marks a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to catch two iconic musicians together on stage. Don’t miss this one.
Paul Kelly & Neil Finn Australian Tour
w/ special guest Lisa Mitchell
Tickets available for pre-sale for My Live Nation members starting on Monday November 12.
General public tickets available at 9am, Friday November 16.
Saturday, February 16 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne
Monday, February 18 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne
Wednesday, February 27 – Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Friday, March 1 – Elder Park, Adelaide
Sunday, March 10 – Opera House, Sydney
Monday, March 11 – Opera House, Sydney
Tuesday, March 12 – Opera House, Sydney
Thursday, March 14 – Kings Park, Perth
