Keanu Nelson will perform at Phoenix Central Park on 29 April, Photograph by Young Ha Kim
Phoenix Central Park has announced its Season XVI program. The 12 gig series will run from Tuesday 29 April to Thursday 19 June.
Phoenix, an architecturally-unique venue on Gadigal land in the Sydney suburb of Chippendale, will welcome musicians from across the genre spectrum, including Naarm/Melbourne art rock outfit Eggy, Finland-based cellist Simon Svoboda, experimental cross-cultural duo ZÖJ, and indie folk singer-songwriter Ruby Gill.
Luritja musician Keanu Nelson will get things started on Tuesday 29 April, performing songs from his debut album of DIY soul, dub and bedroom gospel, Wilurarrakutu, released in 2023 by Altered States Tapes. Nelson, who’s based in the remote NT community of Papunya, is set to release a two-track 7″ on Efficient Space on Friday 25 April. The A-side, “Place Where I Go,” is out now.
Nelson will be joined onstage at Phoenix Central Park by producer and multi-instrumentalist Yuta Matsumura (of Oily Boys and Th Blisks). The pair are playing a second Sydney headline show at Oxford Art Factory on Thursday 1 May with support from Troth and Daily Toll. It’s happening immediately after Nelson launches an exhibition of his paintings – in the Western desert tradition – at Pass~Port Store & Gallery in Darlinghurst.
Nelson will also play a headline show at The Night Cat, on Wurundjeri Country, on Thursday 8 May with support from Raven Mahon and Mikey Young’s The Green Child and Flame J. Tickets here.
Sydney-based Māori and Samoan rapper Jamaica Moana will perform at Phoenix on Thursday 22 May. Her latest single, “TUGGAWAR,” is out now on Pointer Recordings and features production from MC and producer POOKIE. Moana, who identifies as nonbinary and uses she/he pronouns, is also an important figure on the local ballroom scene. She co-founded Western Sydney’s leading ballroom event The West Ball, where she’s a resident commentator.
Beat tape-influenced electronic duo 700 Feel will premiere a 16 track collection of ambient sketches titled You Don’t Need To Die To Know Heaven at Phoenix on Thursday 5 June. Other acts on the program include industrial punks Npcede (whose debut EP is out on Chapter Music on 9 May) sound installation experimentalist Jasmine Guffond, and Tymbal Echoes, a collaboration between drummer Simon Barker and jazz saxophonist Hinano Fujisaki.
Full details below. Tickets are free but distributed by ballot. The ballot closing dates differ for each show. Check the individual show links for more info.
READ: Magic Music review – jazz, Japanese and Iranian music combine at Phoenix Central Park
Phoenix Central Park Season XVI
Phoenix Central Park: 49 O’Connor St, Chippendale NSW
Tue 29 April – Keanu Nelson – ballot
Thu 1 May – Jasmine Guffond – ballot
Tue 6 May – Ruby Gill – ballot
Thu 8 May – Npcede – ballot
Tue 13 May – Simon Barker X Hinano Fujisaki: Tymbal Echoes – ballot
Thu 22 May – Jamaica Moana – ballot
Thu 29 May – Garage Sale – ballot
Tue 3 June – ZÖJ – ballot
Thu 5 June – 700 Feel: You Don’t Need To Die To Know Heaven – ballot
Wed 11 June – Eggy – ballot
Thu 12 June – AAO: Hand To Earth – ballot
Thu 19 June – Simon Svoboda – ballot
More info via the Phoenix Central Park website
