Transformative music, cinema and illustration will take centre stage at Art & About Sydney’s opening event Friday Night Live.
A major highlight of the event will be the audio-visual performance of Shaun Tan’s The Arrival, performed by Ben Walsh and The Orkestra of the Underground. The event will begin at 7pm, with Martin Place in the Sydney CBD transforming into a walk-in cinema for the event.
When Walsh discovered The Arrival, a picture book of pencil-drawn illustrations by Shaun Tan that details a migrant’s journey to a new land, he had an instantaneous reaction to the work. ‘It was leaping out of the pages at me and I could hear music –that doesn’t happen every day,’ said Walsh.
The picture book is given new life by Walsh and his group, The Orkestra of the Underground, live on stage as images are projected and scored with the music. ‘We’ve taken every single image and we display it single frame by single frame, so we kind of unveil the story. I conduct the visuals live from stage, so the visual operator is part of the orchestra as well,’ said Walsh.
The Orkestra of the Underground was formed by Walsh as a way of combining musicians from previous projects into a large non-traditional ensemble. It brings together many different disciplines of music from international origins, as well as utilising a few homemade instruments, in order to achieve its unique sound.
‘It’s a little bit of an eclectic version of an orchestra,’ said Walsh.
Going by previous shows, audiences can expect a captivating show. According to Walsh, ‘It’s just such a wonderful, imaginative storyline that Shaun’s portrayed through imagery and the music just holds people’s focus with it.’
More musical acts are also programmed throughout the evening. DJ Richard Weiss, a staple at Mardi Gras and Sydney New Year’s Eve events, will kick off the celebrations from sunset with his usual diverse mix of dance. Surf rock group The Break, a combination of various members from Midnight Oil and Hunters and Collectors, will keep the party going with an energetic and raw set punters can look forward to.
Vintage bus tours are also back on the scene, with partygoers invited to hop aboard and travel to key installation and exhibition sites for free.
Sydney’s food trucks will cater the event and cocktails will be available from Grasshopper, officially sealing the deal on what will definitely be a night not to miss.
Art & About Sydney will run through the city of Sydney from 20 September to 20 October. For information about installations and events visit the Art & About Sydney website.
(Pictured: Ben Walsh conducting ‘The Arrival’)
