Popular music reimagined by original composers and accompanied by the melodies of a string quartet is coming to Perth’s south.
Tender is the Night will return to Melville’s Goolugatup Heathcote and Tivoli Theatre this year for a 5-month program curated with a raft of well-known talent.
Blues rock artist and Fremantle’s own Dan Howls will take the stage on March 10, joining Albert Pritchard from New Nausea.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWHowls said he was excited to rework his tunes with an array of instruments.
“We’ve always had like a core group of the band and then always invited different instrumentalists,” he said.
“We’ve had clarinet players join us and violin players join us before.
“But not at this level.”
Howls’ band — which is backed by a rhythm section and joined by vocalist Julia Weller — is known for its deep vocals and striking dark blues tunes.
He said older songs from the band’s album would make it to the Melville stage, as well as some unreleased music.
It will be the first time Howls and other artists play with the string quartet on stage when they perform, who practice the music independently of the selected artists.
Untroubled by this, Howls said he was excited to play with the string quartet artists and the theatrical components from the classical genre and his own style were well paired for the performance.
“(We have) loudly accentuated guitars and it’s all really big,” he said.
“There’s a lot of feeling and I think string instruments and classical instruments in general, they just bring so much emotion to music.
“And I feel like our music is already quite emotive. I think it just works really well.”
In May, rocker Mitch McDonald from the Love Junkies will take to the stage alongside indie-rock band Lonesome Dove, followed by hip-hop talent Mathas and alt-soul artist Alexia Parenzee in August.
Tender is the Night curator Leigh Gardiner said the series was a unique production.
“The diversity and pairing of artists and composers is really special,” he said.
“The transformation of music — the harmony of contemporary meets classical — is simply stunning and a gig experience unlike any other in WA.”
Previous Tender is the Night guest stars have included Grace Barbe, Abbe May, Brendon Humphries (Kill Devil Hills), Jack Davies and Tanaya Harper.
Tender is the Night is a $40 ticketed event and runs from January 21 to November 24.