11 December 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s been a whopping 33 years (1986) since Lloyd Cole first set foot on Australian soil with his band the Commotions. Since going solo, it has always been a matter of economies of scale… Lloyd preferring the ‘less is more’ approach \u2013 just a few acoustic guitars, a handy side table with a few bottles of water, a music stand and attitude. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When visiting Melbourne over the years, and not out appreciating the finer points of one of our gorgeous golf courses, he has plugged away studiously in the evenings, playing all manner of small venues \u2013 Brunswick, Thornbury, Richmond, Oakleigh, Bentleigh \u2013 seemingly simultaneously amazed and exceedingly grateful, that his fanbase not only remember his work, but actively seek him out for an intimate evening of entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This humility and diligence has certainly paid off \u2013 fans come along not really knowing what to expect \u2013 and leave, having been completely side-swiped by Cole’s dry wit, self deprecating delivery and masterfully intimate performance. This approach of underpromising and over delivering is certainly a refreshing change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The years of hard work, the slow and steady build, and an excellent new album in his back pocket have all contributed to what we see tonight \u2013 a close to sold out Hamer Hall… a huge counterpoint to previous tiny venues he’s played \u2013 like The Thornbury Theatre, the Caravan Club, The Flying Saucer Club…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For those who haven’t been keeping tabs, Lloyd’s never been one to rest on his laurels and has been rather busy since his last visit down under \u2013 writing and producing one of his strongest albums to date. ‘Guesswork’ \u2013 a 8 track sojourn into wistful electronica that has been greeted with praise across the board by fans and critics alike. Why the interest all of a sudden? Well, it’s a cracker of an album for a multitude of reasons \u2013 not the least of which is it marks a reunion of sorts with his old Commotions compadres, Blair Cowan and Neil Clark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you haven’t heard it yet, here’s Lloyd’s brief ‘7 minute Youtube sampler’ which will bring you right up to speed\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n