Luke Escombe’s previous album Mantown spent 9 straight months in the top ten of the Australian Blues and Roots chart, spawning two unforgettably twisted music videos and garnering comparisons to everyone from Nick Cave to Flight of the Conchords.
Now the Sydney singer-songwriter announces the release of his first feature length DVD Chronic Symphonic, as well as two other live albums – Live on the Coast and Live at the Promethean – all on the same day.
These live releases highlight the remarkable journey Luke Escombe has made over the last two years, from blues and roots musician, to provocative musical satirist, stand up comedian, health ambassador and public speaker. Last year he spoke and performed in every major city in Australia, as well as in Auckland and Wellington, where he received a standing ovation at the Te Papa National Museum. Chronic Symphonic is where all of his different identities intersect, backed by an 8-piece band, a giant projector screen and a string section.
The show was recorded at Notes Live in Newtown as part of the 2012 Sydney Fringe. It received a 4 and a half star review fromJohn Shand in the Sydney Morning Herald, who described Luke as “a rock-soul singer, raconteur, blistering blues guitarist, comedian and songwriter, and very good at them all”. The 70 minute performance included an airing of Luke’s gangsta rap music video about living with Crohn’s disease – “Master Key” – and a finale that involved the members of the audience joyfully simulating an act of self-love.
Over twelve thousand dollars was raised in just five days last September through crowdfunding website Pozible.com to fund the release of Chronic Symphonic on DVD. This has made it possible to release the recordings of two other live shows: Live on the Coast and Live at the Promethean, the former recorded at Wagstaffe Hall on the NSW Central Coast with Luke’s rock and roll 4-piece “The Corporation” and the latter recorded at the Promethean in Adelaide in a stripped-down duo format, with Luke accompanied by young Melbourne bassist James Gilligan.
