Renée Geyer – Renéessance
Liberation Blue Acoustic Series
“I’ve avoided doing this album for a long time for the simple reason that I’ve already done these songs. I finally said yes ’cause we agreed to do it live at my keyboard player’s house: just set up like an acoustic gig and play. People tend to like the intimacy of that. It has a certain energy and I think it works.”
Intimate doesn’t mean gentle, as the opening salvo of Renéessance makes bracingly clear. Untreated and unaccompanied, Renée Geyer’s full-throttle entry into the reggae classic, Dedicated To The One I Love, serves notice of an album easy on amps but as highly charged as her most soulful work.
So full and commanding is the voice at the heart of these recordings – from the playful Cuban pop of Say I Love You to the explosive emotion of It’s A Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World – that it takes a few spins to realise it’s accompanied only by the spare keys of Bruce Haymes and Jeff Burstin’s acoustic guitar.
The fresh and immediate approach gave Renée new access to rarely performed classics such as Stares & Whispers. The naked arrangements of Heading In The Right Direction and If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don’t Wanna Be Right) hone perennial Australian radio staples to their essence.
“A lot of these songs were not necessarily that easy to put into an acoustic form,” Renée says. “Some of them are there because I do them every night and I love them forever, some are on there because they’re important songs in my career. I’m just hoping I did justice to them all.”
She may have “already done these songs,” but Renéessance finds Renée singing as if she’s feeling every one of them for the very first time: immediate impressions in startling single takes that reconfirm her unassailable position as Australia’s premier soul vocalist.
See the wonderful and unique talents of Renée Geyer live at a venue near you (with more dates to follow)…
JUNE
Fri 5, Sat 6 and Sun 7
Bennetts Lane, Melbourne VIC
+ special guest LOENE CARMEN
Tickets via Moshtix – Ph 1300 438 849
or www.moshtix.com.au
Wed 10
Village Theatre – Sanctuary Cove Qld
Tickets via venue Ph: 07 5577 8999
www.villagetheatre.com.au
Thurs 11
Joe’s Water Hole – Eumundi QLD
Tickets via venue Ph: 07 5442 8144
www.musicliveatjoes.com
Fri 12
Full Moon Café – Sandgate QLD
Tickets via venue. Ph: 07 3869 0544
www.fullmoonhotel.com.au
Sat 13
Carindale Tavern – Carindale QLD
Tickets via venue: Ph: 07 3395 0122
Tues 16
Tilleys – Canberra ACT
Tickets via Canberra Ticketing – www.canberratheatre.com.au
Ph: 02 6275 2700
Weds 17 & Thurs 18
The Basement – Sydney
+ special guest LOENE CARMEN
Tickets via Basement Box Office Ph: 02 9251 2797
or via Moshtix – www.moshtix.com.au
Fri 19
St John’s Park Bowling Club NSW
Tickets via venue Ph 02 9610 3666 / www.sjpbowling.com.au
Sat 20
Lizotte’s – Kincumber NSW
Tickets via venue Ph 02 4368 2017 / www.lizottes.com.au
Fri 26
Fly By Night Fremantle WA
Tickets via venue Ph 08 9430 5976 / www.flybynight.org
Sat 27
The Charles Hotel – North Perth WA
Tickets via venue Ph 08 9444 1051 www.charleshotel.com.au
Sun 28
The Icon – Karratha WA
Tickets via venue Ph 08 9185 6911 www.theiconkarratha.com.au
JULY
Thurs 2
Wellers – Kangaroo Ground VIC
Tickets via venue Ph 03 9712 0266 / www.wellers.com.au
Sat 4
The Capital Theatre – Bendigo VIC
Tickets via venue Ph 03 5434 6100 / www.thecapital.com.au
Fri 10
The Norwood Hotel – Norwood SA
Tickets via venue Ph 08 8431 1822 / www.thenorwood.com.au
Fri 17
Dee Why RSL – Dee Why NSW
Tickets via venue Ph 02 9454 4000 / www.deewhyrsl.com.au
Sat 18
Blacktown Workers Club – Blacktown NSW
Tickets via venue Ph 02 9830 0600 / www.workersclub.com.au
Sun 19
The Gearin Hotel – Katoomba NSW
Tickets via venue Ph 02 4782 4395
For all updates, visit Renée Geyer offical website.