Kate Ceberano will join Daryl Braithwaite, John Paul Young and Jon Stevens on the Good Times Tour.
Camera IconKate Ceberano will join Daryl Braithwaite, John Paul Young and Jon Stevens on the Good Times Tour. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Kate Ceberano saddles up for Good Times at Perth Concert Hall

Tyler BrownEastern Reporter

KATE Ceberano was made for touring.

In a career that spans more than 30 years, she has released 23 albums, performed in stage productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and South Pacific, had her own tonight show on the ABC, won Dancing with the Stars and curated the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, to name just a few of her milestones.

“Hard work and performing is what keeps me alive; it’s like oxygen to me,” the 49-year-old said.

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“I love touring.

“I actually don’t enjoy recording very much, I can safely say I never have, but it’s like a means to an end because where I end up is being able to put it in a live form.

“I really, really love live audiences and I love the concept of being able to arrive into a space with no preconceived ideas.

“Every space and every audience is entirely different to the next.

“I just love that aspect of having to discover who you’re with and what they want and how to get there and then hopefully accomplish something that at the end of the evening, you’re in this mutual accord.”

Ceberano will join fellow Australian musical legends Daryl Braithwaite, Jon Stevens and John Paul Young for this year’s Good Times Tour.

With 17 shows in one month, Ceberano said she was looking forward to doing what she loves most.

“We won’t start our rehearsals until the week ahead,” she admitted.

“Mostly because for 30 years, we’ve been playing and it’s not to say that’s a bad thing, it’s just I think we’re very privileged to have a back catalogue that’s so historical and has such a reference to Australian music and its culture.

“All of us will be playing four to five of our better known hits, then we collaborate across many other well-known songs as well, probably more generic songs that cover maybe music of different decades; I’m a real 80s girl but JPY (John Paul Young) is a 70s kind of guy and Jon’s more 90s.

“We might even do some (Jesus Christ) Superstar material which would be great.

“We’ll only put up what sounds right for having fun, we won’t do anything because we have to do it; we’re all a bit too rock and roll for that.”

This will be Ceberano’s second time on the Good Times Tour line-up, after taking the stage last year alongside Brian Cadd, Joe Camilleri and Glenn Shorrock.

“It’s like getting in the saddle of a very intuitive, well-trained pony; that’s what these tours are for me,” she said.

“It’s all about playing music and playing it really well because at the end of the day, if it’s not fun for you then it’s definitely not fun for them.”

Ceberano said she was also looking forward to being part of the audience herself.

“I’m just such a fan girl; I’ll sit in the wings most nights and just watch them do their thing,” she said.

“I have so much to learn from them as well.

“Last year when I was sitting with Brian Cadd and Shorrock and A Little Ray of Sunshine was played, I just sat in the wings with tears rolling down my face because I just have so many collective memories listening to those songs.

“Then I’d look out across the audience and I’d see them doing exactly the same thing.

“I just love being in that scene; I’m a complete spectator in this kind of environment.

“It’s not often we get to be an audience; we’re usually up there doing it, so in this case, I feel it’s a bit of a guilty pleasure.”

THE ESSENTIALS

What: Good Times Tour

Where: Perth Concert Hall

When: Saturday, May 21

Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.au