Author: richardlawsonmusic

I’ve played a heap of solo and acoustic shows this year. Love doing them as there is an immediacy from just the guitar and I playing solo and acoustic. There is NO backing track safety net and the punters react to the honesty and emotional delivery.

I’ve played everywhere from Braidwood to Eden to Batemans Bay all over the South of the state and have made many new friends along the way whilst keeping my vocal chords and playing fingers nice and warm!

I’ve played with Damion Stirling on and off for over 15 years and have cemented a firm friendship with us and Elizabeth Walton based on shared love of Organics/Social Justice/Environment and Good music on percussion [African and Traps].

Damo played and gave us an African Blessing at our wedding and we have kept in regular contact over the years. We love him!

Imagine my good fortune to have his percussion group ‘Beatmeisters’ announce a gig just down the road from us at Murrah Hall on Sat Jan 31 when I don’t have one of my regular solo and acoustic coast gigs. I made contact and he was keen to get me up on the Timbales, which we used to do with Benji and the Saltwater Soundsystem a few years back.

Suffice to say we had an awesome time and Elizabeth Walton came along for a boogie and brought her flash canon camera and caught some of the action with her wonderful photography!! I slotted in after a few listens to their Soundcloud rehearsals and was immediately taken by the 2 young flamenco guitarists [Thomas and ??] who gave it a samba flair. Great night and a great way to catch up with Damo!!!t

Thanks to Elizabeth Walton for the fantastic photography!!

Also you can go to my Substack to read about it

https://substack.com/@richardlawson

I’m stoked to have even made it to this list of A-Z Australian composers through The Aussie Art Music playlist in the Limelight Magazine. Thanks above all to @elizabethwalton.au and Acacia Quartet without whom this would not have happened. Salute!! and thanks to Create NSW, Four Winds Festival, South East Arts and above all, Cameron Lam, who does an amazing job promoting new and emerging composers with his monthly playlist on Spotify

I have a few shows coming up in November which are solo and acoustic up and down the coast. Such a great time to be playing on Sunday sessions

Thanks so much David Rogers for capturing the magic of the moment – a packed house for the world premiere of #HowToReadACity last Sat 30August- so many people involved in this massive project it’s hard to know where to begin. Firstly thanks to artistic director @elizabethwalton.au and Acacia Quartet for bringing this project to love and life over the last few years. Thanks to Four Winds for making the recording and the event possible. Thanks to my good mate @benji_fowler and @sams.caravan Eddie Williams at ABC South East NSW and Create NSW for supporting this amazing collaboration. All my love has gone into this and I couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks to ABC CLassic and 2MBSFM in Sydney for supporting emerging composers! Sometimes the sum is bigger than the parts and I am so grateful to you all for this wonderful opportunity cheers Richardlawsonmusic

Acacia Quartet will perform Richard Lawson’s new suite for classical string quartet, How To Read A City,
Your Place of Last Resort at Four Winds on Saturday 30th August. This immersive literary and listening
experience presents this rich new work with a performance of Elizabeth Walton’s poetry cycle, in a
collaborative work which explores the beauty and sadness of the times we live in. During this sensory-rich
convergence of poetry and the ephemeral magic of classical music, the artists will respond to Q&A’s and an
interview with host, Eddie Williams. This project, which has received airplay across Australia, debuted on
Limelight’s ABC Classic FM Australian Art Music playlist in January 2025.

Tickets at Four Winds now!!

‘How to Read A City, Your Place of Last Resort’ is out now on Spotify/YouTube and Apple Music for streaming. Its had airplay on ABC Classic FM and a sold out performance at Westwords in Parramatta

Youtube

At an event to be hosted by Simon Marnie, Elizabeth Walton and Richard Lawson will launch their collaborative project, How To Read a City, Your Place of Last Resort at WestWords Parramatta on Thursday 29th of May. This immersive literary and listening experience presents Elizabeth’s poetry cycle and Richard’s debut classical suite recorded by the Acacia String Quartet. This collaborative work explores the beauty and sadness of the times we live in. During this sensory-rich convergence of poetry and the ephemeral magic of classical music, the artists will respond to Q & A’s from one of Australia’s favourite interviewers, Simon Marnie. 

Free ticket link here

https://events.humanitix.com/how-to-read-a-city-your-place-of-last-resort

More info here

https://elizabethwalton.substack.com/

Australian Art Music playlist: January 2025 – Moving Forward

Happy New Year, and welcome back to the Australian Art Music playlist! A monthly playlist of classical, jazz, experimental and electronic music by Australian composers, musicians and sound artists. Oh how lovely to be included on Cameron’s, inspired by Orpheus and Eurydice, Australian Art Music playlist!

Richard Lawsons ‘On Love Lost Days’ with Acacia Quartet. @richardlawsonmusic@limelightartsau@acaciaquartet#thankyou

Heres the playlist

The Grooveyard just finished their short run of shows at Binalong, Smiths Alternative in Canberra and Marrickville Bowling Club to very enthusiastic audiences. Lots of old fans came out of the woodwork and new younger fans appreciated the great songs vocals and energy on display. Here is a picture rundown of some of the fun