“Recording Holley is akin to trying to capture lightning in a bottle, and his music represents a devotion to the very act of creation.” - The New York Times
“Incredibly illusive vocals and a true gift for storytelling” - Monster Children (on Yasmina Sadiki)
“Leg-melting vocal runs and visceral, emotional songs.” – VICE (on Yasmina Sadiki)
Since 1979, Lonnie Holley has devoted his life to the art of improvisation. A survivor of Jim Crow-era Alabama, his practice was born from struggle and has grown into a lifelong expression of resilience and imagination. Across drawing, sculpture, music, film and performance, Holley transforms the everyday into something sacred – fragments of history remade as living art.
At 75, he remains as vital as ever. His work appears in major museum collections around the world, and his music continues to push boundaries. Holley’s seven albums include Oh Me Oh My (2023), featuring Michael Stipe, Bon Iver and Sharon Van Etten, and the lushly produced Tonky (2025). Each performance is a singular act of creation, as songs evolve live before the audience, shaped by the moment and the energy in the room.
To close his three-night residency, Holley is joined by Sydney-based rising star Yasmina Sadiki, known for her alt-jazz and neo-soul soundscapes. A stalwart of Sydney’s independent and improvisational music scene, Sadiki made waves this year with standout performances at Vivid LIVE and SXSW, wowing audiences with her hypnotic, cinematic grooves and emotionally charged vocals.
Together, Holley's powerful oratory and Sadiki’s dazzling voice weave a tapestry of sound that is intricate, moving and entirely new. Expect the unexpected.
- 60 mins (no interval)
