After recording this track back in July 2020, then mixing and mastering it over the following 6 months whilst navigating the lockdowns due to Covid, I conjured a grand video project for the track in my head. It would be a wild, colourful celebration of performers in Sydney, focused around dancers and their many wonderful styles and cultural backgrounds which weave powerful and joyful stories through the fabric of our society.
I gathered dancers, the members of Emily-Rose and the Wild Things and expert videographer Tnee Dyer from Raw Mint Video. Together we planned and conspired, I spreadsheeted and choreographed with a tonne of dancers most of whom had never met one another or danced together. I got up before sunrise to scout locations and in May 2021 we luckily managed to organise a weekend of filming and then lockdown hit Sydney again in June.
Things became so tough for the live music industry again and I found it very difficult to plan for the release of the video. Then everything slowly started re-opening and I grabbed the opportunity to try and organise a live gig to celebrate the release. It had been almost two year since this band had played for a public live audience and to be honest, I had forgotten just how damn difficult it is to organise a gig in Sydney. Or perhaps things have gotten more difficult since covid… in any case, it was a huge amount of work and my dear drummer Abby unluckily caught covid a few days before the gig as the latest outbreak spread across Sydney. I was able to secure the incredible talent of Oli Nelson, who nailed the set and I am forever grateful to. Chris drove 3 and a half hour up from Araluen to rehearse and do the gig, Nick tried to be stoic for me whilst I was nervous and freaking out about the whole scenario and Lukey made me smile with his classic talent for positive thinking.
Despite a fair amount of lovely humans not being able to make the launch because of covid combined with the insanity of the end of year silly season, the ones that could created an incredible atmosphere. I feel so incredibly lucky to have friends and fans like you. I was also absolutely treated to the solo sets of Emma Stephenson and Ofri – these two ladies just make my heart melt with their music.
Thank you to you all! Now… if I have one wish for my birthday (Dec 24), it is that you could give the video and watch and share with a friend. I’d be ever so grateful. š And I’ll see you at the next gig on January 20th š