Dirtsong by the Black Arm Band is a powerful musical journey through Australia’s cultural heartland inspired by the words of Miles Franklin Award winner Alexis Wright. Set against a stunning backdrop of moving imagery and text, the performance features unforgettable songs performed in 11 different Aboriginal languages from some of the most extraordinary performers in the land backed by an exciting ensemble of Melbourne’s finest jazz musicians.

The Black Arm Band features vocalists; Deline Briscoe, Fred Leone, Nicole Lampton, Yirrmal Marika and Tjupurru for the Gold Coast performance. Many of the pieces are structured as musical “conversations” between the collaborating artists reflecting on country, conjuring not only a sense of geographical place but encounters, memories, obligations, community and nature. The performance is drawn from Aboriginal Australia mixing traditional approaches and contemporary songs, existing repertoire and newly commissioned music.

While the inspiration for Dirtsong has been to awaken some sleeping Australian Indigenous languages and to work in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding, the project has required all involved to summon the courage to face many dilemmas. The Black Arm Band (BAB) is an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) organisation and one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies, widely acclaimed for its distinctive music theatre performances, celebration of Indigenous music, culture and language and uniquely powerful visual imagery.

 The stories and heart of Indigenous culture with be shared with audiences in the spirit of resilience, understanding, hope and reconciliation. Presentations like Dirtsong are a contemporary expression of 40,000 years of living culture.BAB performs, promotes, educates and celebrates contemporary ATSI music as a vehicle for social change, centred on self-determination, empowerment and development of Indigenous communities. BAB is a flexible ensemble (but a unified force) of highly skilled musicians, composers, performers, directors and artistic technicians, working together representing the apogee of Australian music theatre.

 It will be an honour for audiences to hear one performance with over 11 indigenous languages sung proudly by BAB. Dirtsong will be an unforgettable evening to inspire the heart and lift the spirit.Pre-show entertainment for Dirtsong will feature Onyx Reign, a signature ensemble of the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA). They will perform a selection of pop, soul, RnB and reggae hits.