04
Live
PHARRELL WILLIAMS AT FUTURE
W
ith his hit song ‘Happy’ still high on the charts, artist Pharrell Williams is enjoying a wave of success and coming to Australia to share his music with fans. The American musician has been announced as part of the line-up for the Future Music Festival, with the Sydney show being held at the Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday, March 8. While he rose to fame as the lead singer of the band N*E*R*D, Williams has also created a successful solo career for himself as both an artist and a producer, with multiple hits on the charts last year. His song ‘Happy’, released in November 2013, is still receiving extensive airplay, while two of last year’s biggest tracks were produced by Williams – Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ and Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’. Williams also received seven nominations at the 2014 Grammy Awards and a nomination for Best Original Song at the Oscars,
cementing his status as one of the music industry’s most acclaimed talents. He plans on upholding his reputation as GQ Magazine’s ‘Hitmaker of the Year’ with his second solo album, which he is currently working on, as well as producing music from popular artists such as Ed Sheeran, Jennifer Hudson and Busta Rhymes. Working alongside Chad Hugo, Williams is one half of production duo The Neptunes, who have collaborated with names such as Jay Z, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Britney Spears and No Doubt. Beyond his musical endeavours, the performer has also had a stint designing jewellery for Louis Vuitton, collaborating on furniture, created bicycles and is a partner in Bionic Yarn, a textile firm that develops environmentally sustainable fabrics. Despite his busy career, Williams said he was looking forward to visiting Australia in March 2014. “Australia is such a fun place for music –
I’ve always had amazing experiences there. Looking forward to seeing all the fans come out for Future Musical Festival – can’t wait to perform and show them my gratitude,” he said. Pharrell Williams will perform at Future
Music Festival at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday, March 8. The event is for over 18s only. For bookings or more information, visit www. futuremusicfestival.com.au.
The trio is completed by Nicholas Brooks, whose performance as the legendary Sammy Davis Junior is so accurate that he has been referred to by critics as one of the world’s best. His career began when he was recruited in 1998 to be a singer for the prestigious NIU Jazz Ensemble, and travelled internationally with the band, earning the acclaim of critics. Since 2006, Brooks has been starring as Sammy Davis Junior in various Rat Pack
tribute shows. Together, this group of tribute performers evoke the spirit of the Rat Pack and give modern audiences a chance to hear great swing music. ‘The Rat Pack from Vegas’ will be performed at Blacktown Workers Club on Saturday, February 8. For bookings or more information, call 9830 0600 or visit www. workersclub.com.au.
GLAMOUR AND CLASS FROM VEGAS
E
xperience the glamour and classiness of swing music when a tribute show brings The Rat Pack to the stage. Coming direct from the United States, ‘The Rat Pack from Vegas’ show stars three of the world’s most talented tribute performers in a homage to the old style jazz and swing of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr. After sell-out shows in both the USA and Britain, ‘The Rat Pack from Vegas’ will be touring Australia with a performance at Blacktown Workers Club on Saturday, February 8. The show, which has not yet been seen in Australia, provides an experience that emulates the classy, sophisticated atmosphere of the original Rat Pack. During the 1960’s, a group of prominent US performers including Sinatra, Martin, Davis Junior along with Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford, were given the name ‘The Rat Pack’ due to their closeness.
When one member of the group was due to give a performance, the others would often show up as a surprise and delight audiences, creating a new and exciting entertainment experience based on the camaraderie of the group. Featuring talented performers who give an authentic tribute to their idols, ‘The Rat Pack from Vegas’ relives the era. While the shoes of ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ Frank Sinatra are undoubtedly hard to fill, performer David De Costa steps into the role comfortably, drawing on his long history playing Sinatra in Las Vegas tributes. His deep, soulful voice and background in jazz music give De Costa the perfect sound for the part, but he also manages to capture the stage persona and phrasings of the star. The role of Dean Martin will be performed by entertainer Johnny Edwards, who brings to life Martin’s humour and musical talent. Edwards has been playing Dean Martin tributes for more than 20 years, both in the United States, and internationally.