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An intoxicating blend of Chicago-Memphis blues with Motown-Stax-inspired soul, Brisbane band Blues Arcadia always bring the heat when they take to the stage, delivering an uninhibited, old-fashioned soul-stomp revival.
Given the year 2020 has served up, it’s somewhat surprising Blues Arcadia have recorded a live album. But when live performances returned to Queensland after COVID restrictions lifted, the band were eager to return to the stage at a familiar stomping ground (and record it).
‘Live At The Royal Mail’ documents Blues Arcadia’s first performance since the world went into lockdown.
It also marked the first full-band show since the Royal Mail Hotel Goodna (the only Australian venue to receive an award from the Blues Foundation in Memphis) reopened in October.
“After seven months of lockdown, we managed to capture the pure joy and magic of playing music together in a room in front of an incredible audience once again,” the band says of the Royal Mail show.
‘Live At The Royal Mail’ will be available from 27 November. Pre-order it.
After releasing their new single ‘Come Home For Christmas’ last month, the band will wrap up an eventful year with live shows in Brisbane and Gold Coast.
Here, they share a few of their favourite Christmas songs; so go pour yourself a glass of eggnog, place the mistletoe strategically and sit back and enjoy the Yuletide feels.
Darlene Love – ‘White Christmas’ (from Phil Spector’s Christmas album)
Best version of this Irving Berlin song ever. It’s got that massive wall-of-sound craziness, plus it’s Phil Spector doing a Christmas album… given what we know now about that guy, you can’t get more messed up than that. – Harvey (guitar)
Jackson 5 – ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’
When I was a kid, I was dragged around shopping centres every Christmas by my Mum and no matter what shop we went into, this song was playing.
Now I’m grown up and this song raises more questions than it answers. Who is Mommy kissing? Is it MJ’s dad? Or the neighbour dressed up as Santa so MJ doesn’t recognise him? Or, and this is the most credible explanation, it really is Santa Claus. – Casper (drums)
Kevin ‘Bloody’ Wilson – ‘Hey Santa Claus’
A proper dose of ‘Straya to get me through the silly season, every time. Not his biggest commercial success for some reason. – Paula (keys)
The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl – ‘Fairytale Of New York’
Nothing captures the spirit of Xmas quite like a punk band singing about a couple of washed-up junkies. Great song though. – Jez (bass)
Wham – ‘Last Christmas’
What a cracking song, with the sleigh bells and the sad, soulful eyes of George Michael watching his girl fall for Andrew Ridgeley’s not inconsiderable charms right in front of him.
Or perhaps it was the other way around. We shall never know…. it’s the Christmas ski-trip from hell. I love it so much. – Alan (vocals)
Blues Arcadia – ‘Come Home For Christmas’
This song has everything a Christmas song should have: Sleigh bells, Xmas stockings, turkey, plum pudding and a fair bit of filthy innuendo. Plus it’s by my all-time favourite band. – Alan (vocals)
