Artemis will transport you to the smoky terrazzo-floored clubs of downtown Athens. Venture back to the 60s and 70s, the golden era of Greek music, arts and fashion at Brunswick Ballroom on Thursday night.
We had the pleasure of catching up with Artemis before her performance at Brunswick Ballroom on Thursday October 26.
- Artemis – A Night of Greek Jazz
- 6:30pm, Thu 26 October
- Tickets here
Tell us a bit about your musical upbringing, your inspirations and why you make the music you do?
I actually come from a musical family, my father is a composer and producer. So I grew up on sets and studios and always knew that performing was my thing.
I was born in Australia but moved to Greece when I was six – a true bilingual kid. While growing up in Athens, I obsessively listened to absolutely everything except for Greek music really – probably because I was surrounded by it all the time. It was only when I moved back to Australia as an adult that I found myself seeking out my Greek musical heritage for comfort. Distance made me realise just how much it has shaped me and how deep my connection to it really is.
My show is a bilingual, genre blending, theatrical experience. It’s a kind of representation of the cultural mish mash that goes on in my brain. The emotional intensity that is in Greek music and culture is also in me. It’s an aspect I don’t get to externalise much in Australian social life. So in some ways performing Greek music to Australian audiences is an act of cultural self preservation.
How do you describe your sound?
I do something I call Greek jazz. It’s a cross between Greek laika sounds and western jazz. I take iconic Greek songs mainly from the 50s and 60s and put my own twist on them. I’m very fortunate to work with musical director Andrew Patterson who is an incredible artist and collaborator. I’ll go to him with an obscure crackly recording of some 1930’s Greek love song and go – can we make this a bossa nova? He’s truly wonderful and an absolute gun of a pianist. Joining us we also have the amazing Jacob Papadopoulos on bouzouki.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about Greek music and the way you perform it?
When people in Australia think of Greek music they might think of dancing to Zorba in circles. I don’t think many realise just how diverse Greek music is. There are so many genres, eras and influences that have led to an incredibly rich musical world – especially for such a small country.
Tell me a bit more about the smoky underground clubs of old Athens, what is the vibe you’re trying to recreate at the Ballroom?
I am asking people to travel back in time to Athens of the 1960s – the golden era of music, cinema and fashion. Think old Hollywood but Greek. Live music was performed in nightclubs called kentra, where food was also served on cabaret style tables. This style of entertainment was always a staple in common Greek life but in the 60s it became more modernised and glamorous with theatrical floor shows, dance acts and often more western instruments. I’m really inspired by that era, the great divas of Greek music and cinema and that cross-section between tradition and modernity.
What’s your favourite part of the show and why?
I love playing with language and comedy. Most of the songs are in Greek, but the storytelling is in English, making the performance accessible to everyone, no matter their background. One of my favourite parts of the show is when I surprise the audience with some unexpected mashups.
Is there anything else would you like our audience to know about you and your performance?
The show has a storyline! I really wanted to paint a picture of the time the songs were written and performed, the vibe of that era, but also give the audience a sense of what the hell I’m singing about. The songs are interwoven with a passionate and scandalous love story, with Athens nightlife as the backdrop.
Finally, can you provide a shameless plug to get our audience excited?
This is a truly unique experience. Especially if you have a connection to Greek culture, this is an opportunity to experience it in a way I guarantee you haven’t seen in Melbourne before.
Tickets here.
