|
|
 |
Deborah Conway
 I'm not sure whether Deborah Conway, renowned songwriter of note and powerful vocalist, is an inspired or insane individual. 'Broad', the unique one night festival she organises, promotes and performs in, is about to tour Australia for the third time. Speaking from a songwriting workshop tour in North Queensland, she is very excited to be discussing her pet project.
"'Broad' has been, for me, touring with the greatest chick band there is, because everybody is a star, everybody is leading their own band, everybody is a fantastic musician," she enthuses. "Mel Brooks said 'never ever put your own money in the show!' I should have listened! There is a hell of a lot of work, and there can be an enormous amount of stress, but when we hit the stage it feels like it is absolutely worthwhile."
Instigated, curated and, more unusually for a musician, backed with her own money, 'Broad' has Conway share the stage with four other women from various genres playing their own and each other's songs. The show is broad in a few senses - it is an old fashioned slang term for a woman; indicates the breadth of the country the five women will travel together; and reflects the wide range of captivating sounds the audience can expect to hear.
"People bring their own very different styles to it, and in the combinations lie the magic. Part of it is that people subsume their ego into the group, and thereby elevating the group. Part of it is that they actually bring more ego to it because they are up against all this talent and they want to be as good. So it is a kind of a contradiction, but it makes sense," Conway explains. "Women do have that ability to work as a group, without egos getting in the way, but of course there is that inevitable ego that comes with the territory. So you firstly have this beautiful push and pull of that kind of psychology, and secondly, everybody's game lifts! Everybody is better, and everybody feels they are better, and everybody puts it into the show. It is elevating for us and for the audience. The audience knows they are seeing something special, and participating in something special too. There are a lot of layers. It's a gripping psychological drama!"
Past 'Broad's have included Ruby Hunter, Katie Noonan and Claire Bowditch, and this year the cast is once again stellar. Sally Seltmann is on board, probably the most well known (apart from Conway) in the lineup. "Yes, the delicious New Buffalo, Sally Seltmann, with her multi-layered, exquisite vocals, incredible musicianship. I had been thinking about her for a while and I contacted her and she said yes, which was a wonderful bonus.
"Abbe May [from WA band Fuzz] was a bit of a gift. She sounds like kd lang with a beautiful rich voice but with this rock edge, and she writes these really wacky songs. It's like 1930s punk or something. She is sensational, and unusual in the way she sings. She has an inherent humour like she is not taking herself too seriously. An old fashioned quality that not many people use anymore and it really appealed to me, so I went 'you're in baby!'"
Australian country singer Anne McCue is the country act, and we can be forgiven for not having heard of her since she is now based in Nashville impressing the likes of Lucinda Williams with her twanging bluesey guitar. Jade MacRae completes the line up, an accomplished r'n'b singer with a string of credits and some mighty vocal chords. "Jade has an absolute corker of a voice, she is a great r'n'b singer who writes really good songs. She is a great musician, also very different to the others and a joy to have her on the bill."
Conway is happily resigned to 'Broad' being an annual tour, and will continue to recruit a fine mix of known and yet-to-be-know women. "It has been a raging success because we keep doing it. It has been in terms of audience response, a standing ovation in every performance we have put on," Conway states thoughtfully. "And incredible reviews, so you have to say that is success. I am still waiting to turn a profit though. I am really hoping that if you put enough love into a project the money will eventually eventuate! But in the meantime I am loving the love!"
Narelle Walker
'Broad' shows at Her Majesty's Theatre on Sat 25 Aug.
|
|
The latest issue
available now!
|
