For lovers Of The Go-Betweens

Thirty years after its inception, some of Queensland’s most leading musicians will this week pay homage to one of the greatest Australian albums of all time, the Go-Betweens’ 16 Lovers Lane.

The concert on Friday 14 July at Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s Concert Hall is part of Queensland Music Festival (QMF) 2017.

A seminal album in Australia’s pop landscape, 16 Lovers Lane produced classic singles including Streets of Your Town and Was There Anything I Could Do? creating the quintessential sound of Brisbane that helped shape the musical journeys of countless artists across the city, state and nation.

QMF’s landmark concert will recreate the album in full, featuring Go-Betweens’ 16 Lovers Lane recording artists Lindy Morrison (drums) Amanda Brown (violin, oboe and vocals) and John Willsteed (bass), along with Dan Kelly, Danny Widdicombe and Luke Daniel Peacock, completing the band line-up.

A stellar line-up of guest artists will also take to the stage including Steve Kilbey (The Church), Mark Callaghan (GANGgajang), Ron S Peno (Died Pretty), Katie and Tyrone Noonan (george), Montaigne, Sam Cromack and Jen Boyce (Ball Park Music), Tim Nelson and Zoe Davis (Cub Sport), Sahara Beck and Kirin J Callinan.

Formed in Brisbane in the late ‘70s, the Go-Betweens were considered Australia’s finest indie-rock band, with their signature rhythms, charming melodies and honest, poetic lyrics.

16 Lovers Lane, the Go-Betweens’ sixth studio album, was recorded 30 years ago this year. The album achieved acclaim and went on to be listed number 12 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums and included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

The Go-Betweens’ former frontman Robert Forster will not perform, but is supportive of the concert. This event comes a year after the tenth anniversary of the Go-Betweens co-founder and singer-songwriter-guitarist Grant McLennan’s passing.

Opening the concert is Townsville-born singer-songwriter Ben Salter, founding member of Giants of Science, The Gin Club and three-time ARIA-nominated Wilson Pickers, along with Brisbane cellist and singer, also from The Gin Club, Bridget Lewis.

QMF Artistic Director Katie Noonan said growing up in Brisbane in the ‘80s, the Go-Betweens managed to beautifully articulate the sounds of the city into songs known and loved by many.

“16 Lovers Lane will gather star musicians – many from Brisbane and Queensland, male and female, and from different generations – to pay tribute to this iconic band in a unique reimagining of this groundbreaking album,” Ms Noonan said.

“The Go-Betweens’ legacy is undeniable. This special one-off concert will explore the band’s influences on the many musical talents our state has nurtured since the album’s release and celebrate its ability to transcend time.”

The Go-Betweens were originally formed in 1977 by singer-songwriter-guitarists Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who met studying Arts at the University of Queensland. They were later joined by drummer Lindy Morrison, bass guitarist Robert Vickers and multi-instrumentalist Amanda Brown.

After a lengthy stint in London, the Go-Betweens returned to Australia, replaced Robert Vickers with John Willsteed, and recorded 16 Lovers Lane, their final album, before disbanding in 1989. Produced by UK industry icon Mark Wallis, Forster and McLennan embarked on an unprecedented and intense writing process for this album that paid off with widespread acclaim.

More than a decade later, McLennan and Forster re-formed the band with different members and recorded three more albums. Their final album, Oceans Apart, won an ARIA Award in 2005 for Best Adult Contemporary Album. In 2006, McLennan sadly passed away. Forster continues to perform solo and last year released Grant & I, a memoir of his friendship with McLennan.

16 Lovers Lane (written by McLennan and Forster)