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Brisbane’s Chris Pickering and Melbourne’s Charles Jenkins go head to head at The Troubadour on Friday July 7, with very special guest An Horse (Kate Cooper from Iron On). After sharing the stage at Sydney’s Vanguard earlier this year, Brisbane singer/songwriter CHRIS PICKERING and Melbourne’s CHARLES JENKINS (Ice Cream Hands) are teaming up again for a special night of glorious, laid-back acoustic camaraderie at The Troubadour, Fortitude Valley, on Friday 7 July. They’ll be joined by the lovely Kate Cooper of Iron On fame, playing a rare solo set under the moniker AN HORSE. For this show, Pickering will be joined by a top shelf backing band including Helen Russell on bass, Jamie Clark on steel guitar, John Parker on percussion and Megan Washington on keyboard / backing vocals. Pickering has gone from strength to strength since the national release of his debut album ‘A Safer Place’ in February, garnering strong critical acclaim for both his record and his onstage performances. “…a record that continues to resonate, captivate, stimulate and surprise long after your first listen…. a magnificent debut LP...” – The Courier Mail (album review – 4 stars) “…heartfelt and refreshingly honest with some of the sweetest country-flavoured melodies in the country. ‘A Safer Place’ is a truly superb effort from one of Brisbane’s greatest emerging talents.” - Time Off. “… local alt.country hero Chris Pickering is finally coming into his own…” – Scene. “Instantly likeable…”, “Confident and striking”, “Delectably mournful…”, “Accomplished and emotive….An immensely impressive debut.” – Rave Magazine. “One of Brisbane’s best emerging singer-songwriters…” – Brisbane News. …These are just some of the superlatives being thrown Chris’ way since he parted with The Boat People in July 2004. Subsequently, Pickering has been steadily charming audiences around the country with his quietly compelling performances, refreshingly innovative melodies and stark, introspective songwriting. Chris’s solo work marks a significant change in direction from his work with the Boaties, changing from percussion and vocals to his first instrument (guitar), and unleashing the finger-picking alt.country troubadour within. The songs have a breezy indie country flavour, whilst retaining the pop instincts that scored high rotation airplay for the Boat People and even delving into acoustic folk territory. As a soloist, Pickering has shared the stage with the likes of Beth Orton, The Church, Epicure, Machine Translations, Holly Throsby, Jen Cloher, Gelbison, Kate Miller-Heidke, Sophie Koh, Iron On, The Gin Club, Joel Plaskett (Canada) and Brendan Welch. He’s given numerous live to air radio performances (including ABC radio and 4ZzZ), as well as a very well-received Sunday afternoon residency earlier this year at the Brisbane Powerhouse Spark Bar. Pickering’s honesty and simple integrity enable him to endear himself to a broad range of audiences, whether it be Tamworth cowboys, jaded indie kids in the Valley, or grey wanderer hippies touring the folk festival circuit. And he doesn’t even play football. Well, he used to. But only recreationally. Pickering’s acoustic formula invites comparisons with the likes of Wilco, James Taylor, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Paul Kelly and even Sea Change era Beck. But one listen is proof enough that Pickering sings his own stories with his own distinctive voice and style. Chris co-produced A Safer Place with Brisbane’s Emerson Bavinton (Gentle Ben & His Sensitive Side, Gorgeous). The album contains a mixture of styles, united by Chris’s warm vocals and delicate guitar work. It varies from the indie-pop cuteness of Sleepyhead, through the jaded-youth irony of Goodbye Cruel World, to the McCartney-esque strings and piano on Somersaults (the album’s closing track). In between is the country-rock-meets-The Smiths hoedown of Better Off, the deft fingerpicking and enchanting melody of All As it Should Be, and the captivating folk troubadour storytelling of The Stars Will Fall Down Tonight. An accomplished and versatile musician, Pickering plays most instruments appearing on A Safer Place. The album is not without guest appearances however – notably, bass by the incomparable Helen Russell, slide guitar on Goodbye Cruel World by one David McCormack, violin by Tamworth Golden Fiddle winner Jo Lack, and backing vocals by jazz singer Megan Washington. A Safer Place (now in a special 2 Disc package with the Hard to Find EP) is available nationally in all good record stores through MRA Entertainment, and internationally via cdbaby.com. Chris Pickering’s Coming Shows: Friday 7 July @ The Troubadour, Brunswick Street Fortitude Valley – with Charles Jenkins (IceCream Hands) + Kate Cooper (Iron On)
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