Dunstan Playhouse, Wed 21 Jun.

All a review of The Sound Of Falling Stars really needs to do is tell you that if you like popular music from the last 40 years then you must go and see it. Shows this good don’t come around very often – it simply excels in every department.

Cameron Goodall can, it seems, sing just about anything, and writer/director Robyn Archer has crafted a tour de force of popular culture. Popular culture here includes folk, gospel, bluegrass, country, pop, rock, metal and any combination of these genres.

Narrated by the stars themselves, with special roles for Elvis and Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols), The Sound Of Falling Stars is a brilliant depiction of the music from the ‘60s through to the ‘90s, featuring songs from a long list of superstars. The common uniting theme is that they all died young – aged 44 or younger. It’s a staggering thought to contemplate in itself – so many wonderful singers lived such short lives, and many of them chose to take their own lives.

This might be considered a recipe for a total downer, but that is far from the case. There are certainly poignant and sad moments, but this show’s primary focus is the legacy of the fallen stars – the songs we grew up with and that moved us to tears and joy along the way.

Cameron Goodall’s ability to not only sing the songs of the featured artists, but also to inhabit their personas and be them as he sang their songs was remarkable. The swaggering bravado of a Bon Scott, the vulnerability of Jim Morrison or Jeff Buckley, the anarchic anger of Sid Vicious, the politically charged message of a Phil Ochs – all done to perfection. He is simply superb. And it turns out that the entire history of popular music can be played on guitar (Cameron Goodall), accordion (George Butrumlis), and keyboard (Enio Pozzobon). Again, simply stunning; Goodall and his musical comrades glide seamlessly from one style to the next.

Everyone’s going to take away their own highlights. Mine were Sam Cooke’s Cupid, and Kurt Cobain’s desperate lament in Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Exceptional entertainment: great music, plenty of humour, moments of deep reflection. You’re left with a rich sense of appreciation of the fallen stars who have left us, and a gratitude to those who managed to bring their souls and music back for a night.

5 stars

Michael Coghlan

The Sound Of Falling Stars continues at Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre, from 9pm until Thu 22 Jun.

Book at BASS on 131 246 and bass.net.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.

#AdCabFest

Image courtesy of Damian Bennett

Editors note:
The Sound Of Falling Stars would, in my honest opinion, absolutely have to be one of the best shows of this year’s festival… if not the best! Brilliant script and direction from Robyn Archer and the musicians were fantastic. But Cameron Goodall was outstanding in every second of his performance and in every rendition of person and song that he became. Truly magnificent!

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Dunstan Playhouse, Wed 21 Jun. All a review of The Sound Of Falling Stars really needs to do is tell you that if you like popular music from the last 40 years then you must go and see it. Shows this good don’t come around very often – it simply excels in every department. Cameron Goodall can, it seems, sing just about anything, and writer/director Robyn Archer has crafted a tour de force of popular culture. Popular culture here includes folk, gospel, bluegrass, country, pop, rock, metal and any combination of these genres. Narrated by the stars themselves, with special roles for Elvis and Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols), The Sound Of Falling Stars is a brilliant depiction of the music from the ‘60s through to the ‘90s, featuring songs from a long list of superstars. The common uniting theme is that they all died young – aged 44 or younger. It’s a staggering thought to contemplate in itself – so many wonderful singers lived such short lives, and many of them chose to take their own lives. This might be considered a recipe for a total downer, but that is far from the case. There are certainly poignant and sad moments, but this show’s primary focus is the legacy of the fallen stars – the songs we grew up with and that moved us to tears and joy along the way. Cameron Goodall’s ability to not only sing the songs of the featured artists, but also to inhabit their personas and be them as he sang their songs was remarkable. The swaggering bravado of a Bon Scott, the vulnerability of Jim Morrison or Jeff Buckley, the anarchic anger of Sid Vicious, the politically charged message of a Phil Ochs – all done to perfection. He is simply superb. And it turns out that the entire history of popular music can be played on guitar (Cameron Goodall), accordion (George Butrumlis), and keyboard (Enio Pozzobon). Again, simply stunning; Goodall and his musical comrades glide seamlessly from one style to the next. Everyone’s going to take away their own highlights. Mine were Sam Cooke’s Cupid, and Kurt Cobain’s desperate lament in Smells Like Teen Spirit. Exceptional entertainment: great music, plenty of humour, moments of deep reflection. You’re left with a rich sense of appreciation of the fallen stars who have left us, and a gratitude to those who managed to bring their souls and music back for a night. 5 stars Michael Coghlan The Sound Of Falling Stars continues at Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre, from 9pm until Thu 22 Jun. Book at BASS on 131 246 and bass.net.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. #AdCabFest Image courtesy of Damian Bennett Editors note: The Sound Of Falling Stars would, in my honest opinion, absolutely have to be one of the best shows of this year’s festival… if not the best! Brilliant script and direction from Robyn Archer and the musicians were fantastic. But Cameron Goodall was outstanding in every second of his performance and…

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Michael Coghlan

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