Having performed at Dark Mofo, Willis Earl Beal will grace us with his presence for a special night at Nighthawks supported by Grim Fawkner. From gospel confessional to noise-touched soul ballads, all characterised by his booming voice and a southern gothic blues vibe.
Willis has yet to be born. Critics and publicists defined him before he’d had a chance to define himself. Their expectations were inextricably linked with race and gender, two concepts Beal thoroughly rejects. Beal doesn’t feel pressure to define himself against anything. His music is shockingly original, utterly confident, and as ephemeral as Beal himself. He levitates above definition, concerned only with self-discovery and truth-seeking. “I know it sounds falsely altruistic,” he says. “But I think a simple voice like mine can serve as an example of some kind of freedom.” This is the music of Nobody.
