Julie Byrne is making the most powerful, life-affirming music of her career. Her magnificent new album The Greater Wings is a universally resonant testament to the power of love and friendship to transcend grief and loss.
The enchanting Julie Byrne is set to grace Melbourne and Castlemaine with two soul-stirring shows next week.
On Wednesday, January 24th, Melbourne is in for a treat as Julie Byrne, accompanied by special guest Lee Hannah, takes the stage at the Darebin Arts Centre. The musical magic continues on Thursday, January 25th, in Castlemaine at Theatre Royal, where special guest Hana Stretton joins the performance.
JULIE BYRNE TOUR DATES
JANUARY 17 + 19: SYDNEY FESTIVAL @ ACO NEILSON
JANUARY 20: BRISBANE POWERHOUSE @ UNDERGROUND THEATRE
JANUARY 21: NORTHERN RIVERS @ COORABELL HALL
JANUARY 24: MELBOURNE @ DAREBIN ARTS CENTRE
JANUARY 25: CASTLEMAINE @ THEATRE ROYAL
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Julie Byrne, the virtuoso behind the mesmerising album The Greater Wings, is bringing her powerful, life-affirming music to the stage. The album is a poignant testament to the transcendence of love and friendship over grief and loss, marking a significant chapter in Byrne’s musical journey.
Following the success of her 2017 breakthrough album, Not Even Happiness, The Greater Wings has emerged as one of the most rapturously reviewed albums of the year. Recorded in the Catskills of New York with producer Alex Somers (Sigur Rós, Julianna Barwick), the album reflects on the deep and enduring impact of friendship. Despite the tragic loss of her longtime creative partner, Eric Littmann, during its production, the album stands as a celebration of their bond.
“My hope for The Greater Wings is that it lives as a love letter to my chosen family and as an expression of the depth of my commitment to our shared future. Being reshaped by grief also has me more aware of what death does not take from me. I commit that to heart, to words, to sound,” says Julie Byrne.
“Music is not bound to any kind of linear time, so in the capacity to record and speak to the future: this is what it felt like to me, when we were simultaneous, alive, occurring all at once. What it has felt like to go up against my edge and push, the love that has made it worth all this fight. These memories are my values, they belong with me.”
Known for her hushed vocals, sparse instrumentation, and gently plucked guitar, Julie Byrne is a captivating presence on stage. Accompanied by her musical companions, she effortlessly transforms any venue into an intimate space, inviting the audience into her world. With an aura of warmth and vulnerability, Byrne’s performances are a shared experience, resonating with the audience’s emotions.
For nearly a decade, Julie Byrne has navigated the world as a characteristically private artist, shaping her poetic, evocative songcraft through her experiences. Raised in New York State and currently residing in New York City, Byrne’s music draws inspiration from the folk lineage of the wanderer. She taught herself to play the guitar during a challenging period when her father could no longer play due to illness. Her journey includes various roles, from supermarket shelves to a seasonal urban park ranger in Manhattan.
In addition to her solo career, Julie Byrne has collaborated on projects like the EP Velocity! What About The Inertia! with Laugh Cry Laugh, recorded during the winter of the previous year. The EP includes an original track and a cover of Jackson Browne’s “These Days.”
Grab your tickets here.
