Jen Cloher is heading out for a run of intimate solo shows
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Jen Cloher is heading out for a run of intimate solo shows

Having brought out her first full-length LP ‘Dead Wood Falls’ in 2006, Jen Cloher’s career has been a long time in the making. It’s not as if her music lacked any quality in the past, instead it’s quite the contrary; her music has always been incredible, it just seems as if it’s been a slow ride getting to be in the position that she has, for so long, been well and truly deserving of.
Touring America for the first time last year, Cloher has already found herself back there, touring twice less than 12 months since.
“It’s been really positive” she says, “All of our shows [in the States] have sold out and we have been able to play some amazing festivals; it’s really gone above and beyond what I had ever expected or imagined.”
Touching on the cultural differences of overseas Cloher expanded, “It’s been pretty interesting going to other countries to play music, because up until last year I had only ever played in Australia. I’ve been going to new countries and playing to people who may not speak English as a first language and experiencing different cultures and how those people respond to different songs and what people seem to connect too universally.
“Having that experience has been an amazing thing for me,” she continues. “I’m in my 40’s so I never expected to be touring around the world this late in my life, especially not for the first time. When I started playing music, the dream was to tour around the world and to be in that position and being a bit older, it’s been a new and amazing experience.”
In the spirit of trying new ventures and experiences, Cloher will also be heading across Australia on her first ever headliner tour as a solo artist.
“It is actually my first time playing a solo headliner tour, which is kind of incredible,” she smiles. “I think in the past I have been a bit intimidated of walking out onto a stage by myself as a headline act, so I’ve just never done it before. But I think doing the international shows with Kurt [Vile] and Courtney [Barnett] last year; I got to play a good 20 shows over a month which gave me the experience and confidence to think about doing it later down the track. Now just feels like the perfect time because Courtney and Bones (who play in my band) are currently touring pretty hard with Courtney’s new album, so it seemed like a sweet time to go out and do it.
“I’m really looking forward to the shows because it’s a different beast” Cloher continued. “When you play with a band you all walk out together to create something with each other on stage; where as when you’re solo, it’s just you so there is a very direct and immediate connection with the audience.
“I suppose because it is more intimate, as it’s just a guitar and a voice, you listen to the lyrics a bit more and follow a narrative. Usually in a solo setting you hear a bit more about the song and what led them to writing the song or even just what they have been up too that day and if you’re into an artist it can be really fun seeing them open up like that, it’s something different.”
When & Where: Melba Spiegeltent, Melbourne – October 4 & 5 and Queenscliff Music Festival – November 23 – 25.
Written by Alex Callan