Welcome to the New Rampant Optimism Roadshow — a rollicking, ramshackle jam with a stacked lineup and zero rules.
Something special’s brewing out in Castlemaine with a band of beloved misfits and sonic legends is descending on the Theatre Royal for one afternoon only, in a spontaneous swirl of sound, story and straight-up magic.
After a stellar slot at Melbourne’s Rising Festival on 8 June, this genre-blurring revue has added a second, extra show for the good folks of central Victoria. Why? Because one round just wasn’t enough for what’s shaping up to be a deeply memorable musical moment.
New Rampant Optimism Roadshow
- When: Monday 9 June, 3pm
- Where: Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
- Who: Ned Collette, Thalia Zedek (USA) Mick Turner, Chris Ambrahams and more
- Tickets: here
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At the core of it all are three Naarm-connected heavyweights: Ned Collette, Leah Senior, and Michael Beach. Between them, they’ve got the kind of musical gravity that makes you lean in and lose track of time. Collette, with his brooding, Leonard Cohen-meets-Nick Drake lyricism. Senior, spinning ghostly folk that lingers like woodsmoke. And Beach, all grit and growl, pouring heart into heavy, heady rock.
Together, they’ve cooked up the New Rampant Optimism Roadshow — part collective, part carnival, part beautiful chaos. Think campfire vibes, but if the fire was made of feedback and the air was thick with feeling. No support act, no strict setlist — just a rotating door of bangers, ballads, and bold, beautiful noise.
And it’s not just the core trio. Flying in from Boston is none other than Thalia Zedek, the underground queen behind Live Skull, Come, and a long line of goosebump-inducing solo records. She’s the guest of honour — and that’s saying something in a lineup already overflowing with legends.
We’re talking Mick Turner of Dirty Three weaving wild, woolly guitar lines. Chris Abrahams of The Necks on keys, bringing his signature shimmer. Plus Joe Talia, Ben Bourke, Jesse Williams, and the inimitable Elisabeth Fuchsia on viola — familiar faces from countless local lineups, reunited here for one glorious afternoon.
There’s no headliner, no opener, and no telling what song will come next. Just a bunch of mates — some of the best songwriters and players in the country (and beyond) — throwing everything into the pot and seeing what cooks. Think of it like a musical stew: rich, strange, a bit unpredictable, and totally unforgettable.
The New Rampant Optimism Roadshow plays Theatre Royal, Castlemaine for one show only. Get your tickets now!
