When it comes to genre-busting, collaborative covers, Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox have it down to an art. A viral YouTube sensation, this collective will bring their vintage renditions of current pop hits to Bendigo this month.
Taking modern pop tracks (and the occasional old classics), Scott Bradlee, pianist and the creator and mastermind of the outfit, examines the song, takes it apart and then reconstructs it in an entire new style. This niche group are known for doing it differently.
Coming fresh off their European run, this return to Australia follows their sold-out Aus tour last year. With a rotating cast of over 70 performers, the group have topped iTunes and Billboard charts, played hundreds of shows and built up a huge following on YouTube, clocking up nearly 500 million views, with Bradlee posting their cover versions to the site, originally as a form of an online business card.
“I posted the first video in 2009,” Bradlee recalls. “I was broke and living in Queens, NY. Seven years later, we’ve amassed two million subscribers, we’ve sold out shows across four continents and we’ve become a showcase for an incredible group of performers.
If you haven’t heard of these guys, think vintage style hit covers of Miley’s ‘We Can’t Stop’ and Lorde’s ‘Royals’. Better yet, look them up on YouTube. Surprising fresh takes on pop tunes of this century, the collective make it work with their classy, big band twist. Lorde herself praised the vintage cover on her hit, claiming it to be her “favourite.”
Bradlee continues to pick the songs, create the shows and put together the casts for every tour.
“Every single one of our cast members has unique superpowers and I take pride in putting together the best combination of abilities and personalities to create an amazing experience for our fans,” Bradlee says.
“We want them [the fans] to escape reality and join us for the most sensational 1920s party this side of The Great Gatsby. We want them to experience what it was like to be at the New Years’ Eve show that Sinatra would have hosted in the 1940s. We want them to feel the excitement of hearing the greats of Motown live and up close… and a Postmodern Jukebox show is the only place you can experience all of this and more in one night.”
Everything new is old again with this group – and we love it.
When & Where: Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo – September 12
Photo by Braverijah Gregg
