The three consecutive Fridays will see Werribee’s Station Place light up with a passionate and diverse music scene, each with a unique theme.
The first Friday of the series will see Aussie new wave act Pseudo Echo take to the stage to celebrate their formative decade on ‘80s family fun night. The ‘80s favourite has been touring since the 2015 release of Live at the Viper Room. This new demand for their music has been life changing, frontman Brian Canham says, bringing the band back together with new purpose after a nearly ten-year hiatus.
“The whole way it came to an end was that the ‘80s, that decade, had run its course. Being such a sound of that decade, it was almost like our days were numbered. Disbanding was more by default. But in the next decade, each generation gets a bit of a longing for nostalgia and a bit of retro fun, and that’s how it came back together. But it took me a good ten years to think about doing it again.
“Once we got back together, we were at ease, we were happy with who was playing in the band, we were happy with the way we were being accepted by an audience, that was really important to us. At the end of the ‘80s, we’d fallen from real popularity and favour, and that can be a bit depressing, wondering why are we even doing this, do they even want us to play anymore? But when we reformed, people wanted to hear us, and we had a lot of people coming to the shows. It was a reciprocal vibe.”
Canham is keen to create new music, but with the touring opportunities still flowing in, there’s little time to do so.
“These days I prefer performing live, it used to be the opposite. In the past touring took me away from my family and friends and seemed more like work. These days my life has changed, my wife travels with me on tour, it doesn’t seem like work.” Canham says.
“We’ve been doing a lot of these multi band lineups, it’s almost like a group of friends now.”
Canham is excited by Wyndham City’s commitment to keeping the shows free, with free music opening up opportunities for new fans to find acts they would never otherwise have heard.
“It’s important for us to tell new generations who Pseudo Echo is,” he says.
Wyndham City’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Portfolio Holder, Cr Tony Hooper echoes that sentiment, talking of their commitment to keeping music accessible to everyone.
“Music events are a great way for the whole community to get together and take pride in the local talent. Often the cost of these events can limit the number of people that are able to attend. That’s why Wyndham City offers these free events. We are committed to growing the number of opportunities for all locals to enjoy our events and shine a spotlight on the talent that we have right here in our community.”
The series is a part of Music in our City, Wyndham City’s programme dedicated to supporting local musicians, and bringing them together with local venues to grow the live music scene.
“The programme aims to provide a whole range of opportunities for both amateur musicians and established music industry figures to share their craft with local audiences through music events. Our programme also gives local artists the opportunity to learn skills like songwriting and stagecraft from professionals to build experience and help them establish successful music careers,” says Hooper.
“This is just the beginning. Wyndham has one of the most diverse communities in Melbourne with musical cultures which reflect that. Council is working to bring this richness and diversity to local audiences and public places as often as possible.”
By Claire Varley
