Wilkinson at The Citadel

By Madeleine Murray

A TEST of a great singer is their version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, and Mark Wilkinson is right up there with k.d. lang and Jeff Buckley.

Mark is bringing his moving, soulful music to The Citadel on March 4.

Mark spent last year touring North America, including a great performance at the Americana Fest in Nashville, and he is now touring Australia to launch his new EP Mariposa.

The intimate and raw collection highlights Mark’s dynamic and soulful delivery as he explores the deep questions of change, growth and identity.

“The last couple of years have given rise to a lot of creative output and I can’t wait to share some of the new music with audiences back home in Australia,” Mark told The Weekly.

“I really love digging back into my catalogue as well and trying to make each show a little bit different from the last.”

Mark has opened arena and major theatre tours nationally for artists including Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Brian Wilson, Chicago,

America, and Seal, among others.

He performed at Kings of Leon and Santana concerts, represented Australia at the World Expo in China, and entertained deployed troops in the Solomon Islands.

He has also headlined European tours, playing to capacity crowds in London, Paris, and Berlin. The Citadel has some great music events lined up for March and April, including the Hetty Kate Quartet, and a Sunday afternoon jazz session with the Ingrid James Quintet.

Mark Wilkinson is at The Citadel at 7.30pm, Saturday March 4. For info and tickets, go to www.thecitadel.com.au

My tummy has been doing f lips of delight as we march momentously towards March, and all the amazing live acts we have booked for The Regent’s small regional stage. Starting with a bang with Mama Kin Spender, who set my soul on fire, giving me giddy goosebumps every time I have the pleasure of catching them. I’m feeling truly blessed they will be gracing our stage so soon, so better get in quick to secure your seat, as tickets are selling fast! March is Queer appreciation and awareness month, and I am honouring this by running “Spoiler Alert”, a universally touching film, rarely framed through Queer eyes. The Oscar-nominated movies have been streaming through our screen, and I’m having to raise a high rotation to fit them all in! If you’ve missed out on something you intended to see, please enquire about our private screenings, which represent great value, and an awesome VIP experience for you and your friends and/or family. Private screenings are available outside normal opening hours, which is super-easy whilst we’re only open weekends (apart from a special Thursday for Lior & Domini), until school holidays. Bookings are available for International Women’s Day – a wonderful way for ladies to celebrate! We have a range of girl-power movies still on our server…The Whitney Houston movie-pluskaraoke sounds fun to me! Feel free to book it if this tickles your fancy. TÁR and Blueback are also apt films for the day. I’m exploring an OnDemand Cinema service to increase the viability of the business, and have my sights set on some beautiful new seats to really lift the luxury status of The Regent’s ambience, which requires a bit of fundraising! Even though I’m 2.5 years in, there’s still so much I’d like to do, with aspirations still unborn from the beginning. I’m learning every day that baby steps are needed to accomplish vast visions – and I do like to dream big! It can’t all happen at once… but must be built, like Lego blocks, brick by brick, relying on a solid team, and of course, an eager audience.