How do you describe a quartet that write distinctively original music, radically reinterpret some of popular music’s most iconic songs, and do it all with virtuosity, gravity, and a sense of humour?

 

FourPlay’s original songs are inspired by rock, pop, post-rock, jazz, klezmer, swing, folk-tronica, hip hop and more.  They also perform knockout covers by a diverse array of bands, from Rage Against The Machine and Radiohead to Leonard Cohen, Robert Johnson and many, many more.

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The foursome shot to prominence in Australia and Europe in the late 90’s as a unique musical phenomenon – an indie rock band that just happened to be a string quartet.  They did it all with a DIY ethos and a rather punk attitude for people who had originally met through playing in orchestras. 

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In the time since, FourPlay have toured internationally and released five studio albums (their most recent featuring 100% original songs), two EPs, an electronic remix album, and a trilogy of mini CDs. The band has played many of the world’s great concert halls along with its most charmingly gritty rock clubs. They joined forces with author/graphic novelist Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, American Gods) and comics artist/cartoonist Eddie Campbell (Bacchus, From Hell) on a whirlwind international tour at some of the world's greatest venues, including Carnegie Hall (NYC), The Barbican Centre in London, The Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, and Usher Hall in Edinburgh.  They’ve performed an opening set and also their collaborative work The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains, which first premiered at the Graphic Festival at the Sydney Opera House. They’ve performed Pet Sounds live with Brian Wilson, composed and performed live comic book scores, collaborated on live film scores with Plaid (UK/WARP), and have taken the stage at TEDx Sydney three times.

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