By HARRY CLARKE
TWO Australian cultural icons will combine in outback Queensland next month when musical movement Pub Choir travels west to host one of its joyous crowd singing events at the foreground of Thallon’s colourful grain silos.
Pub Choir, founded by Brisbane-based musician Astrid Jorgensen, has since 2017 been bringing strangers together at various venues around Australia and overseas to sing and record well known songs as a makeshift, one-night-only community choir.
Sunday October 29 is understood to be the first time Pub Choir will head to the outback, with Thallon’s renowned silo art chosen as the perfect back drop for travellers and locals of any singing ability to belt out a musical classic in unison.
“Anyone is allowed to buy a ticket and turn up, it’s a different crowd every night … at the end of the night you are a performer,” Jorgenson told the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this year.
The songs chosen for Pub Choir events aren’t revealed until guests arrive in the evening, but generally they’re well known tunes from various eras.
The crowd is always the main act, but some events have included surprise special guests including Powderfinger, Regurgitator and Midnight Oil.
“You walk in as an audience member and by the end of the show you are transformed into something different,” Jorgensen said.
“No matter how weird or out of tune you might be, there’s no other voices like yours. That is the magic. That is the thing that I am chasing when I make music with other people, we are the instruments.
“Everyone is good enough to try, everyone is good enough to have a lovely time. Life is fleeting and we need to let go of being the best.
“It’s really low-key, high return, you can just do your thing and you’ll get carried by the crowd. It’s really nice to be not that important.”
Having been a sensation across Australia, Pub Choir has seen massive sellouts from city to city across the UK and USA.
Balonne Shire Mayor Samantha O’Toole said she was delighted to invite residents of the region and visitors from afar to visit Thallon and join the “euphoria” pub Pub Choir.
“This is going to be a great event at Thallon and we’re all really looking forward to welcoming people from far and wide and coming together from across the Shire,” she said.
“Let’s end your year on a high note. Come, sing, and rejoice in the community spirit of Thallon!”
For more information on ticketing and the event, please visit: https://events.humanitix.com/pub-choir-thallon-queensland
