The Meltdown Play Ray
The Meltdown was born out of a mutual love for Ray Charles music by Lachlan Mclean and Simon Burke. The idea was hatched listening to Ray on the long drives home from other gigs that Lachlan and Simon had started to do together around 2011 - Musicians were wrangled, a set of music was chosen and the Meltdown was born.
The Meltdown’s first gig at the famous Melbourne Jazz Venue Bennetts Lane happened in 2012 and was completely sold out – The band having gone out for dinner around the corner came back to the surprise of a line of people down the street trying to get in – clearly there was a thirst to hear the great music of Ray – Bennetts Lane had a quiet policy for the audience to allow all members of the audience to focus and enjoy the often quiet and introspective shows there – not necessarily a raucous venue for jumping around, but by the time half of the first set was completed the audience were up dancing and clapping and stomping and the band were away lifted by the experience.
By this point the band now sold out any show they put on at Bennetts, but they were encouraged by venue manager Meg Evans to start writing and performing their own music and this then led off to the Meltdowns original work and recordings – (soon to release their second full length record)
In 2018, The Meltdown had the great honour to play with the legendary Maceo Parker for the Melbourne Jazz Festival. Extending the band to a full big band and led by Ray’s former Musical Director Steve Sigmund along with the Raelettes, they played an amazing one off show at the Melbourne Recital Centre. A career highlight for many in the band.
Now doing the show only a few times a year, they are joyous and fun affairs – often with special guest singers but always staying true to the heart of Ray’s music which was about taste, space and fun!
This performance will also be live-streamed for public broadcast and recorded, which may include ambient sounds and vision of the audience.
Please be reminded all visitors to Monash University Performing Arts Centres will be required to comply with government and University vaccination requirements.
*Photo by Alan Light.
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