Grungada: A Journey of Music and Song is an intimate night with the amazingly talented didgeridoo player, Mark Atkins. He was the founding member of contemporary/traditional performance group Kooriwadjula (Black Man/White Man) which toured nationally and internationally, and together with Aboriginal artist Janawirri Yiparrka created the musical ensemble Ankala. For most of his 30 year career, Atkins has worked in collaboration with other composers and musicians. These have included such luminaries as Peter Sculthorpe, John Williamson, Sinead O'Connor, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Philip Glass. He has played didgeridoo as part of a symphony orchestra and with a Grand Organ, for theatre and for dance. Now, for the first time, he is presenting a solo performance as part of the 2007 Melbourne International Arts Festival.
Alone on stage, with a video screen on either side, four didgeridoos (in the keys of B, F, C and D), one harmonica and a guitar, a relaxed and friendly Atkins draws his audience in so that you almost feel that you are sitting round a fire listening to his stories, stories told in music and in voice. He is a master storyteller, has a warm sense of humour, and he has music in his soul.
The didgeridoo is an instrument that reverberates through the whole body. Played by Atkins it is also revealed as extremely versatile, creating many different moods and telling stories as effectively as any person. There was the story of the Road Train, video images of these enormous transports encouraging the imagination to more fully picture the plight of the two men in a tiny escort, a road train tailgating them and demanding right of way on a narrow, outback road – memories of Spielberg's Duel. There was Hip Hop Didg; yes you can play hip hop on a didgeridoo, or at least Atkins can! There were blow flies, beach walks, emus, Mimis (trickster spirits), home-comings and the meditative Ripples one of Atkins' favourites.
In addition to playing the didgeridoo, Atkins makes and paints them. He is also a songwriter, drummer and visual artist.
In a recent interview with Andrew Ford of the ABC's Music Show, Atkins was asked how he managed to play didgeridoo as part of a symphony orchestra. His response was that the experience was like having a conversation with other characters. And that is exactly how he has structured this performance, as a conversation with his audience. The result is an intimate evening with a friend telling you stories of his experiences and his culture. The audience was entranced - moved one moment, laughing out loud the next.
Grungada: A Journey of Music and Song
Mark Atkins
Venue: The Famous Spiegeltent | The Arts Centre
Dates: Sun 14 – Tue 16 Oct at 9.30pm
Duration: 1 hour, no interval
Tickets: Full $30 / Groups (8+) $27 / Conc $22.50
Bookings: Ticketmaster 1300 136 166 | www.melbournefestival.com.au