Highly acclaimed songstress Rachel Collis is a “welcome jolt back to the time of Jim Webb, Carole King and Joni Mitchell” (The Orange Press).
Hailed by reviewers as “genius”, “prodigy” and “the great underground talent of her time”, Rachel is sweetness, sophistication and good old-fashioned songwriting.
Her songs range from the heart-swelling to the introspective to the humourous – always intelligent, always finely-crafted, always heartfelt.
Rachel will be performing with her trio, which boasts two of Sydney’s finest jazz musicians, Michael Galeazzi (double bass) and Mike Quigley (drums). Visit Rachel's web site.
Also on the program will be the Brisbane-based duo The Acfields.
Following years of pursuing solo careers, in 2012 the pair decided to trial teaming us as a duo and it quickly became clear that the sibling collaboration was something special.
Since then, the pair has toured Australia numerous times, has released an EP and a full-length album and has shared the stage with acts such as Josh Pyke and Joan Armatrading. Following a massive 2014, sibling alt folk duo ‘The Acfields’ are now rested and ready with their first release of the year, the heartfelt tune ‘The Years’.
Displaying once more The Acfields’ prowess for storytelling through song, The Years is a touching true story of an elderly divorced couple that reunited again after they both suffered from dementia, even though they could not recall each other.
Watch this YouTube clip.
“…sheer genius […] the versatility and prodigy of Collis’ songwriting.” - Lloyd Bradford Syke
“Each song unfolds surprisingly…always holding the audience in its grip… touching, thoughtful, satirical, ironic and downright hilarious.” - Theatre People
"...refreshingly funny... beautiful piano and the sort of voice that would stop a show..." - Heckler Read
"Not only does [Rachel] possess a linguistic gift, but a profound talent for storytelling, structure (melody, harmony, rhythm) and orchestration. She's a one-off; an original. She's Stephen Sondheim, Groucho Marx and Blossom Dearie. She's the Tower of Pisa. The smile on the Mona Lisa. She's the top." - Australian Stage
"...sheer genius. Imagine the love-child of a ménage à trois between, mmm, I don't know, maybe Sondheim, Midler & Minchin. You're getting close to the unpredictable versatility and prodigy of Collis' songwriting." - Australian Stage
"For this consummate entertainer it is not a challenge to connect complete strangers in the audience with honest, unconventional and humane humour..." - Megaphone Oz
"...all ages will relate to Rachel's emotional life stripped bare..." - Sydney Fringe
"SOMETIMES two heads are better than one. So it proves for siblings Dan and Hannah Acfield.” - Noel Mengel, The Courier Mail
“Naturally charismatic performers.” - Jeremy Millar, Beat Magazine
“There’s no denying the power of their sibling harmony and they have a striking ear for song crafting and instrumental arrangement.” - Rhythm Magazine
View full photo album of the concert.