Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows at Redland Performing Arts Centre

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Thu 26 Sep 2024

Legends of the Australian Music scene, Black Sorrows will head to Brisbane on 26 September 2024 as they hit the stage of Redland Performing Arts Centre for a night of music to remember.



After forming in Melbourne in 1984, the Black Sorrows (described as a blues rock band) have released and performed chart-topping songs including Harley and Rose, Hold Onto Me, Chained to the Wheel and Stir It Up to audiences and fans worldwide. Prior to the Black Sorrows, lead singer, guitarist/saxophonist and driving force Joe Camilleri fronted 70s and 80s band Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons who you may recognise from their hits Hit and Run and Shape I'm In.

I spoke to the band's frontman Joe Camilleri about the upcoming show and his outstanding musical career.

You have been a premier artist in the Australian music scene for many decades (from Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons to the Black Sorrows). What do you think has been the cornerstone of your music that has kept original fans supporting you and introducing and bringing along new fans to the band?

I can only answer this as a music fan myself. If I’m following an artist that I like, I normally sort out everything they may have done.

As the leader of the band and main songwriter, the stories play the biggest part then there’s the groove that makes you feel something. From a live performance perspective, you gotta wanna be there. Your audience always knows if you want to be there, they know that straight off the bat. If they keep coming back, you know this is one good recipe.

After multiple Awards, sell-out shows, a catalogue of classic songs, I once heard you say that you became popular by accident. What did you mean by that?

Maybe saying this has a lot to do with luck is not correct and was more of a flippant remark. You could be a really great band out of time but with the times and if you happened to have the right song.

It wasn’t an overnight success story I can promise you this. You may be playing to nobody for years, but you need to get a following. That’s how it used to run most of my musical life, now people try to get a leg up on TV I guess. Things have changed the way people find and play their music and you need to adapt.

I was fortunate to have the right record at the right time for the times and that’s what I keep subscribing to. I’m on what you call a never-ending tour. And I wouldn’t have it any other way!



Some bands have different journeys but you continue to evolve, tour internationally and release new material. What keeps you excited about what else is possible for the Black Sorrows to create?

Evolving is the keyword. If you’re not evolving, all you have is what you had.

You need to see all the possibilities if you’ve still got things to say. You don’t need to be put in a box, you don’t wanna be just a weekend warrior or yesterday’s glory recreating the same tune time after time. You have opportunities to see yourself in technicolour.

You have collaborated with some wonderful artists including Jimmy Barnes, Paul Grabowsky, and of course, Vika and Linda Bull. Who haven't you worked with that would be on your dream list?

As a working songwriter I pretty much write for the band that I’m in at the time, so for the last 40 years I’ve been writing with my songwriting partner Nick Smith for The Black Sorrows - occasionally there’s a side project.

We’ve been fortunate to have written a few songs that have become hit recordings and played saxophone on some famous songs. I’ve produced several artists that have gone on to have hit records and a big career but it’s not in my mindset to say I want to write a song with this person or that or produce that record. If it’s meant to be, it will be.

What do you hope audiences will enjoy about this upcoming mid-2024 Australian tour?

ABC Records have just released the first single ‘One Door Slams’ from The Black Sorrows' up-and-coming new album ‘The Way We Do Business’. My 54th album and the 26th with The Black Sorrows. I’m very excited about working with the ABC.

New music coming out means exciting times for a band that’s been together for 40 years. It never gets old for me, this is how I choose to live my life, touring the world and playing music with a few laughs along the way. It’s a pretty good life so I respect it always. You have to make it as interesting and entertaining as possible with lots of songs about life sprinkled with new ideas and lots of joy!



To see the performance of one of Australia's legendary bands, secure your seats now.

Tickets are:
Premium Seating: $99.00
A RESERVE SEATING:
Adult: $89.00
Seniors/Pensioners: $84.00
Student: $79.00
Group 10+: $79.00 - pp
Companion card: $0
MEMBER PRICES:
Premium Member: $89.10
Adult Member: $80.10 - A reserve
Senior/Pensioner Member: $76.00 - A reserve

You can purchase your seat through Redland Performing Arts Centre.

What Else?
The show starts at 7:30pm and runs for 2 hours, including a 20 minute interval (subject to change). Redland Performing Arts Centre is located at 2-6 Middle Street, Cleveland.

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