Paul Dempsey’s Karaoke Time Machine at The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre
In what can only be described as a wilful act of musical masochism meets community service, The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre, The Betoota Advocate and EMI Music Australia present ‘Paul Dempsey’s Karaoke Time Machine’ – a night of music and good leisure where classic hits get the raw, acoustic treatment with nothing but voice, guitar, and blind confidence.
Taking place under the unforgiving glare of Shane Prawn, Australia’s largest golden prawn on Tuesday, October 21, the event promises to be exactly what it sounds like: a journey through decades of other people’s songs, performed by a man who has apparently decided that writing his own critically acclaimed music for 30 years wasn’t challenging enough.
The event celebrates the upcoming release of Paul Dempsey’s Shotgun Karaoke Vol. II (out October 24), the sequel nobody asked for but everyone secretly wanted. Entry to the Karaoke Time Machine comes refreshingly cheap – free, in fact – accessible only through an exclusive online ballot – click here for more details on how to win tickets.
Whether this is performance art, a mid-career crisis played out in public, or simply a man having way too much fun with other people’s songs, one thing is certain: it promises to be an incredible night for Dempsey’s devoted fanbase.
Dempsey will continue his already-announced national tour throughout October and November, with tickets selling fast and Brisbane already sold out. Today he reveals that Carla Geneve will join as special guest across all dates. Geneve is a multi-award-winning West Australian singer-songwriter whose raw honesty and unguarded performances have earned her seven WAM Song of the Year awards and seen her share stages with Cat Power, Kurt Vile, and most recently Tyler Childers. Whether commanding festival stages at Laneway and Falls or silencing rooms with just voice and guitar, Geneve brings a rare grace to her craft.
Shotgun Karaoke Vol. II features Dempsey’s acoustic interpretations of songs spanning from Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time”, R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” to Tanita Tikaram’s “Twist In My Sobriety,” all recorded at home between what we can only assume were bouts of self-doubt and cups of tea. The album maintains the intimate, almost accidental quality that made the first volume so compelling – mistakes, imperfections, and all.
“Perfect karaoke would be boring,” Dempsey insists, apparently having made peace with public vulnerability as an art form. “The whole point is to embrace the glorious messiness of it all.”
‘SHOTGUN KARAOKE VOL. II’
RELEASED OCTOBER 24 – AVAILABLE FOR PRE ORDER HERE
SHOTGUN KARAOKE VOL. II TRACKLIST:
If I Could Turn Back Time
Twist In My Sobriety
Boys Of Summer
Dog Eared
Because The Night
Light Pollution
Losing My Religion
If I Can’t Change Your Mind
Way Of The World
The First Part
SHOTGUN KARAOKE VOLUME II TOUR DATES
TICKETS FROM PAULDEMPSEYMUSIC.COM
Fri Oct 31 – His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth*
Fri Nov 7 – Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Sydney
Fri Nov 14 – Concert Hall, QPAC, Brisbane* **SOLD OUT**
Sat Nov 15 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide*
Sat Nov 22 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne*
*With special guest Carla Geneve
