From Herbie Hancock to Olivia Rodrigo: Sydney’s must-see gigs this October
By James Jennings
Former Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning.Credit: Cybele Malinowski
Fanning Dempsey National Park
Enmore Theatre, October 12
When they decided to make music together, former Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning and Something for Kate’s Paul Dempsey could quite easily have knocked out a dozen songs sounding like a combination of those two successful bands. However, the pair has instead favoured artistic exploration on new album The Deluge. While they haven’t exactly set fire to their guitars, Fanning and Dempsey have pulled out an array of synthesisers for the ’80s-leaning collection, which acts as a fine showcase for each artist’s songwriting. It’s also a safe bet Powderfinger and Something for Kate diehards get a chance to hear the odd beloved classic.
Herbie Hancock rockin’ the keytar.Credit: Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times
Herbie Hancock
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, October 11 and 12
City Recital Hall, October 16
Few artists have traversed decades and genres with as much skill, invention and culture-shifting impact as 84-year-old jazz musician, bandleader and composer Herbie Hancock. From playing piano in the Miles Davis Quintet in the 1960s to recording jazz-funk-electro classic Head Hunters in 1973 and influencing hip-hop culture with 1983’s breakdancing anthem Rockit, Hancock has achieved enough to be dubbed “living legend” several times over. Grammy Award-winner Hancock will be joined on stage by a group master musicians as he pulls out all manner of instruments – piano, vocoder and even keytar – from his bag of musical tricks.
US pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo could be Gen Z’s answer to Taylor Swift.Credit: Getty Images for Live Nation
Olivia Rodrigo
Qudos Bank Arena, October 17, 18, 21 and 22
As a former Disney Channel actor with billions of music streams to her name, you’d be forgiven for thinking 21-year-old Olivia Rodrigo must be the latest squeaky clean, anodyne pop singer to come off the conveyor belt. As far as mainstream pop artists go, however, Rodrigo has some edge: she’s not afraid to drop the F-bomb or sing about the pitfalls of hooking up with an ex (Bad Idea Right?), and her interest in ’90s alternative rock – she brought the Breeders along to open on several US tour dates – gives a lot of her music some unexpected muscle. It might be reductive to call her the Gen Z Taylor Swift, but make no mistake – Rodrigo has the talent for a long and interesting career.
The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) is known for his extravagant stage shows.Credit:
The Weeknd
Accor Stadium, October 22 and 23
Last year was a mixed bag for Canadian singer-songwriter Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd. On one hand, The Idol, the much-hyped TV series he developed with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, was met with critical scorn and cancelled after one season; on the other, he became the first artist on Spotify to exceed 100 million monthly listeners (he’s currently the number one streamed artist in the world). Tesfaye is hitting town for some mammoth stadium shows after cancelling a 2023 Australian tour. If recent performances are anything to go by, it’ll be a non-stop serving of hits like Blinding Lights coupled with an extravagant stage show.
Janet Planet and Sugar Bones are neither a joke nor completely serious.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
Confidence Man
Enmore Theatre, October 26
Hailing from Brisbane but now based in London, pseudonym-loving dance-pop group Confidence Man – singer-dancers Janet Planet and Sugar Bones, along with identity-obscuring musician-producers Clarence McGuffie and Reggie Goodchild – know how to cause a good stir. Confidence Man’s much-derided Sydney New Year’s Eve 2023 performance on the ABC had many viewers up in arms, but such complaints miss the point. The group are neither a joke nor completely serious, but what they are is fun: a campy collective with questionable outfits and dance bangers for days. New album 3AM (LA LA LA), out eight days before this show, is a belter. Expect Confidence Man to bring some major party vibes to the Enmore.
October features a large number of notable gigs from Australian artists, including Cold Chisel (performing in a custom tent as a throwback to its 1982 Circus Animals tour), as well as Amy Shark, Thelma Plum, Jessica Mauboy, 3%, Lime Cordiale, Skegss, Empire of the Sun and Polish Club (all of whom have put out new albums recently). US visitors will be bringing us some rap (Travis Scott, Busta Rhymes, Roc Marciano), R&B (Ne-Yo and Lloyd), country (Brad Cox), Americana (Hurray for the Riff Raff) hair metal (Steel Panther) and quirky alternative (They Might Be Giants, who’ll be performing album Flood in its entirety). UK acts include Ash, UB40, Coldplay, Jorja Smith and Passenger. Who will you be seeing? Let us know in the comments.