Fresh band, timeless hits
Singer Erik Weideman will head up “1927” at the West Gippsland Arts Centre on Saturday at 7.30pm.
Nearing the conclusion of a national tour and fresh from a short break, the Warragul concert is amongst the last before it closes at the Sydney Opera House.
“There’s fresh energy around 1927,” Weideman says. “We’re seeing new people coming to the shows, lots of guys now not just girls like it was in the 80s and the 90s. Back then we could rarely hear ourselves playing over the screaming.”
The story of pop rock band 1927 started in 1987.
In a time before “Australian Idol” and “The Voice”, Weideman was a wily kid talent-spotted after a scorching performance on Red Faces for “Hey Hey It’s Saturday”.
He teamed up with former Moving Pictures songwriter Garry Frost, his brother Bill Frost and James Barton to form 1927, gigged until they were tight then landed a hit with smoky, rocking chugger “That’s When I Think of You”.
It was the first single taken from debut album “...ish” in 1989, followed by yearning power ballad “If I Could”, “You’ll Never Know” and “Compulsory Hero”.
The album topped the charts and saw the band win ARIA Awards for breakthrough single and breakthrough album.
Next came “The Other Side” in 1990 which went to number three on the album charts, backed by soaring pop hit “Tell Me a Story”.
After some chart success in Europe and the US and a self-titled album, the band disbanded.
However, Weideman returned to 1927’s music in 2009 and has been touring ever since.
“The last 10 to 12 years has been very fulfilling for me,” Weideman said. “I’ve taken the band to a different audience.”
“I love touring. There is nothing like getting on stage with a bunch of guys, playing for 90 minutes and having the room to breathe.
“None of us are perfect musicians. I reckon I probably muck up once a night, everyone does, that’s the beauty of live music.”
“If you have not seen this version of 1927 perform these songs live, well, I won’t say you’re in for a shock, you’re in for a treat,” he added. All tickets are $65.
For bookings or further information, contact the West Gippsland Arts Centre box-office on 5624 2456 or visit wgac.com.au