By Hollie Harris
If you haven’t already heard, The Black Sorrows are taking to the stage on 20 October in the Brewery at The Imperial Hotel Eumundi.
The Black Sorrows have earned the reputation as a dynamic live act. At the helm, Joe Camilleri steers the band through an energetic interplay of solid grooves and well-crafted songs that mix the well-worn ingredients of blues, soul, R&B, gospel, country and even Brill Building pop. Spontaneous (forget set lists) and emotionally driven, Joe ensures that no two performances are ever the same. Camilleri’s mantra is simple: “We come to play and leave the audience feeling exhilarated”.
Camilleri launched The Black Sorrows, a loose band of like-minded musicians, in 1984 following the demise of his seminal band Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons the year before. From humble beginnings playing inner-city cafes around Melbourne and selling albums from the boot of a car, Camilleri transformed the band into one of the most sophisticated ensembles in the country.
The independently released album Dear Children represented a turning point once CBS/Sony stepped in with a worldwide deal. When radio picked up the classic track, Mystified, The Black Sorrows really took flight releasing multi-platinum sellers Hold On To Me, Harley and Rose and The Chosen Ones. The Black Sorrows have won the ARIA for Best Band, played sell-out shows across Europe and sold more than two million albums worldwide.
As writer of other milestone Australian songs including So Young, Hit And Run, Shape I’m In, Chained To The Wheel, and Never Let Me Go, Joe Camilleri’s music has become part of Australian music culture. As a member of Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons, Joe was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007. Camilleri has shown fans and critics alike that he is a performer with an undeniable energy and love of it all.
In 2014 Joe Camilleri celebrated 50 years in the music business. The release of the highly acclaimed album Certified Blue gave him his first mainstream chart appearance in almost a decade. Certified Blue peaked at number two in the ARIA Jazz and Blues Chart and remained in the chart for over 40 weeks. 2015 saw the band tour Scandinavia for the first time in 20 years in support of the release of ARIA nominated album Endless Sleep. The Sorrows’ 18th album release Faithful Satellite saw a 2017 summer tour followed by shows in the UK and Europe.
In keeping with Joe Camilleri’s desire to continually move forward, the latest incarnation of The Black Sorrows is Claude Carranza (guitar/vocals), Mark Gray (bass/vocals), John McAll (keyboards/vocals) and Angus Burchall (drums).
Pre-sale $30 and booking fee through Oztix or at the Imperial Hotel, phone 5442 8811 until 4pm on the day. $35 at the door. Doors open 7.30pm.
