“Wear comfortable shoes because dancing is required.”
That’s the message from powerhouse Australian singer Vanessa Amorosi as she prepares to embark on a tour across the country to celebrate 25 years in the music business.
And, the woman who gave us anthems of a generation – with smash singles such as Absolutely Everybody, Shine, Perfect and This Is Who I Am – will kick-start her latest expedition right in Newcastle.
She’ll showcase her greatest hits and fan favourites at King Street on Friday 10 April.
“I know, isn’t it nuts? It’s crazy to think where that time’s gone,” Amorosi said.
“When I listen to all the albums, while going through the tracks, I’m like ‘oh, my Lord, yeah, I remember that’.
“Currently, I’m trying to choose a set list.
“So, you want to get the stuff that everyone recollects.
“Then, I’m also keen to add the little special moments that were really cool on the record but weren’t on radio or a single.
“I’ve been kind of sifting through all of it, which is always a bit tricky.
“It’s retrospective, too.
“It is interesting to listen to the recordings because my take on writing those songs is I’m very young and the way I’m singing I sound like a little kid.
“But, in all honesty, when I’m hearing this stuff, I’m really thinking about ‘how am I going to get this to be a crazy party with the audience, bring it into what I do now?’
“So, it’s a matter of making everything feel smooth, even though it’s 25 years of different work.
“Then, there’s the arrangements.
“Do I want to keep close to what people remember or do I want to morph it into this next thing?
“That’s the beauty about these shows.
“Even though they’re intimate and small venues, we can really connect.
“I have an opportunity to pull out a guitar, too, and do a couple of things acoustically.”
Amorosi admitted the concept of “personal” gigs appealed to her, especially on this occasion.
“It needs to be that way,” she said.
“I want to go through tracks that only people who bought the record would know… and I want the chance to move the set around a lot.
“Over the past three years, I’ve been involved in very, very big productions in Europe.
“Nothing can afford to move, so it must remain the same protocol, same arrangement every night.
“I did two months of shows with a 100-piece orchestra and 50-piece head choir.
“So, I can’t say let’s have a guitar solo or make any changes because then I’m ruining the lighting, the time schedule etc.
“On this tour, I want to be loose in each town… that way I can spend more time catering to what the audience wants, where the energy is.
“And, if someone yells out a certain track from an album, I’m able to turn to my guitarist Rod and say: ‘let’s give this a shot’.”
In spite of all her commercial success, which has garnered 16 ARIA and APRA nominations, Amorosi is still fondly remembered for her unforgettable performances of Heroes Live Forever and Absolutely Everybody at the Sydney Olympics.
“That was a wild experience,” she said.
“And, I think being so young and naive to the world, it led me to pull off singing Heroes Live Forever with no fear.
“I loved it… it captured magic for me.
“When I watch that back, the whole ceremony, it moves me every time, with the horses running and the flags flying.
“We were so united and patriotic.
“It felt like a celebration, with everyone loving the fact other people experienced our country, too.
“So, every time I see that, I remember that feeling of how proud we were.”
More recently, Amorosi’s joined forces with music legend and producer Dave Stewart from Eurythmics fame.
Their journey included four European tours, standout performances at prestigious events such as Art on Ice in Switzerland and Night of the Proms across Belgium and Germany, and a memorable US trip alongside Bryan Adams.
“He’s absolutely amazing,” she told the Newcastle Weekly.
“He is a lot of fun to be on the road with.
“When you think of all the Eurythmics’ songs (Sweet Dreams, Here Comes the Rain Again, Love Is a Stranger, Thorn in my Side), they’re sensational.
“So, it’s been great working with Dave for many, many moons.
“It is a real pinch myself moment.”
For now, Amorosi’s focus is closer to home.
And, she’s starting her latest tour in Newcastle.
“It’s where I began a lot of my shows in the early days,” she said.
“I think I did a video clip there as well.
“However, everything is such a blur, to be honest.
“I’ve spent so many years touring in and out of places.
“It’s not until I get there that I go ‘oh my God, I remember being here and we ate this sandwich and this building was over there’.
“Because of the enormous amount of traveling that I’ve done, it’s not until I’m even in a venue sometimes that I realise I’ve performed in it seven times previously.
“It’s funny, my bass player does the same thing.
“He’ll walk into a place and go ‘déjà vu, remember when this happened 18 years ago and blah, blah, blah.
“So, I’m looking forward to coming back.
“It should be a lot of fun.
“I love visiting every town… I feel like we (Aussies) have something that is just so untouched.
“But, I’m warning Novocastrians to wear comfortable shoes, we’re having a dance party.
“Of course, we’ll go through some of the hit records and play those songs, however if there’s one someone really wants to hear, shout it out and, hopefully, we can pull that off on the fly.
“Overall, it’s going to be a bunch of like-minded people, having the most incredible time.
“No stress, just chilling out and loving music.”
Tickets for Amorosi’s Celebrating 25 Years show in Newcastle are on sale at livenation.com.au
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