Virtuoso musician and singer/songwriter of five-times ARIA nominated, acclaimed Aussie rock band Thirsty Merc, Rai Thistlethwayte is heading to Kambri at ANU this weekend, Saturday 21 November.
He will perform music from his extensive catalogue of Thirsty Merc and solo music, presenting a rare opportunity to see a musician of his calibre and profile live in an intimate setting; buy tickets here.
Have you had many chances to perform lately?
โItโs definitely been the most different year for myself since I became a professional performer. It took a little while to adjust to the fact we couldnโt play.
โIโm used to literally being in my van or on a plane and pretty much doing that every weekend, especially during the hotter months, so not doing that for six months has been so bizarre.
โThe end of year is looking really promising, Iโve got more gigs in November and December than Iโve had in a few months.โ
With your large catalogue of music, what are your favourite songs to perform?
โIt does change from night to night, sometimes I like to change set lists around depending on the format of the gig.
โI like to include some of the well-known songs Iโve written, recorded and released with Thirsty Merc, and I find as a perform I can focus in on melody and lyric in a different way when theyโre more stripped back.
โI also like to play songs that are more obscure and werenโt released as a single, it just depends on what the arc of the set list is looking like โฆ Sometimes you need a bit of light and shade.โ
How is performing solo different to Thirsty Merc?
โIโve always thought of bands almost like their own production unit; youโve got almost what the entire recording is going to sound like going all at once.
โThis year thereโs been a lot of reduced capacity shows so you get a very intimate dialogue between audience and yourself as an artist.
โI remember one time in a tiny room in LA, I saw Prince do a solo show in front of 300 people, a musician friend of mine got to go on stage to play with him. Seeing that as a punter I was blown away by how close and personal it was, he breathed a new life into songs Iโve known my whole life.โ
Youโve been a professional musician for 20 years, how has your music evolved over that time?
โIโm 40 years old now and I started Thirsty Merc at 22.
โI was dating girls that were uni students and writing songs about that โฆ I didnโt have much life experience, but thereโs something really authentic about those experiences I was drawing on.
โIโve now had a lot more experiences, seen more of how the world works, Iโve travelled and am writing from a more emotionally mature standpoint,โ he said.
โI think itโs got deeper on a lot of levels โฆ There is an evolution emotionally and sonically Iโve gone on, but I just like to see what comes out and if itโs good quality I put it out.โ
Have you come to Canberra much during your career?
โThe first place I played in Canberra as a band was called the Holy Grail. Iโve done Skyfire gigs, The Basement as a full rock band show, Smithโs Alternative Bookshop with a jazz musician friend from Perth.
โIโve grown up in Sydney so itโs just down the road.
โIโve played at ANU loads of times, at the old refectory back in the day. Itโs a good part of the world to play, thereโs a strong music culture there.โ
Rai Thistlethwayteโs answers have been condensed for publication.
