To mark the tenth anniversary of the release of Amy Winehouse’s second, and final, album Back to Black, Atlanta Coogan and The Little Big Band will embark on an epic tour of Australia’s east coast.
The band has played together for four years, starting when Coogan and Stephen Hadley wanted to honour the first year after Winehouse’s passing. After booking Bennett’s Lane on a Monday night, they sold out the venue.
“We were quite amazed at how many people honour and respect her, and want to remember her with dignity,” says Coogan.
“I remember the night she died very clearly. I was on tour and heavily pregnant with my first child, and I’d got home from the hospital after a small scare. 3am, I was eating kebabs with my ex-partner, and there it was, she’d died. I was gutted.”
What started as a one-off tribute has transformed into a sought after act, thanks largely to the respectful, dedicated fanbase who don’t want to forget the incredible musician and her tragic death.
“Her art was so strong, and she was such a true jazz performer and songwriter, the link is generations long,” says Coogan. “Everyone from a Baby Boomer crooner to a Gen Y, all recognise her incredible talent, her street-wise apathy, and her incredible depth as a singer and an artist. It was such a tragic demise. A lot of people relate to her. It’s a sadness but it’s also a true, godsent talent.
“From Valerie to Rehab to Tears Dry On Their Own. She has such a wonderful catalogue of music even though she only has two albums. Take the Box is my favourite.”
The tour comes hot off the back of a sellout show at Adelaide’s Fringe Festival, and it’s no question that for a show to be this successful, it requires a talented woman to fill Amy Winehouse’s huge shoes, and wig.
Coogan doesn’t disappoint. Listening to her perform Winehouse’s music you can hardly notice the switch between Coogan and the real deal performing at Glastonbury in 2007. A great deal of care and respect clearly goes into each of Coogan’s performances.
“Her wig, I do the eye makeup, I step into her skin. I put on her iconic look and try to feel the way the song goes through the way she sings them. She’s such a strong character, how could you not want to pay tribute as correctly and truly as possible?
“A lot of capturing her is emotional. When I learned the material, I was going through a lot in my own life, a lot of loss and hardship.”
The Little Big Band is a huge part of what makes the show great, with Coogan claiming the chemistry on stage and off is a huge part of the act’s success.
“Steve and I got back a way. We became engaged at one point about 12 years ago, and we remain very good friends. He’s been a ray of sunshine in my musical life. I’ve also got James Black on my team, which I’m incredibly proud of. He wants to make it into the biggest theatre production you’ve ever seen. I have a great bunch of musicians behind me, and it’s very special,” Coogan says.
BY CLAIRE VARLEY
