Lauded songwriters in their own right, Luke Watt and Nigel Wearne join forces to go Above The Bit. Skirting the fringes of blues, country and outlaw folk, Above The Bit channels the fire of Billy Bragg, the poetry and clang of Tom Waits and the spirit of Woody Guthrie.
Above The Bit shines a light on true tales of mutiny and civil disobedience in Australian history, including the Eureka Stockade. Together they tap into the psyche and emotive fabric of their subjects, harnessing the power of narrative and verse with an informed historical approach and social conscience. They challenge the typical face of mutiny and tells stories of unlikely rebels that are in danger of being forgotten. Emotive, honest, empathetic, and enlightening, their debut album is unmistakably Australian.
Deep in the winter of 2017, Nigel and Luke were Artists-In-Residence at Bundanon Trust, Arthur and Yvonne Boyd’s property they gifted to the Australian people. Immersed in 1100 hectares of bush and parkland on the Shoalhaven River, they spent three weeks exploring the enigma and stigma of the mutineer and how it’s shaped modern Australia. In 2018, they received a grant through the Australia Council for The Arts to record these songs.
At 6pm singer-songwriter Hap Hayward will lead a discussion with Nigel and Luke from about their creative process and its historical inspiration, followed by a performance by Above The Bit from 6.30pm.
A Ballarat Heritage Festival event presented by the Eureka Centre Ballarat.
Image: Above The Bit
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