These Are The Waves arrives in Australia this July as a celebration of the life and music of Conway Savage, the revered singer-songwriter and longtime keyboard player for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. After sold-out performances in Ireland, the tribute production heads to Sydney for one night only before two Melbourne dates, gathering family, friends, collaborators and admirers around a catalogue that continues to cast a long shadow.
Savage, who died in 2018, occupied a singular space within Australian music. From his early years in Melbourne bands through to his near three-decade tenure with the Bad Seeds, he carried a presence that was both understated and unmistakable. His piano lines added atmosphere and gravity to some of the band’s most enduring work, while his backing vocals and songwriting instincts brought a soulful warmth all his own. Nick Cave once described him as possessing “the gift of a golden voice,” a tribute that captured both the affection and esteem he inspired.
Yet Conway Savage’s legacy extends far beyond sideman status. Across solo releases including Nothing Broken, Wrong Man’s Hands and Pussy’s Bow, he built a body of work marked by tenderness, wit and emotional clarity. He also collaborated widely, lending his touch to recordings by Spencer P. Jones, Robert Forster and Suzie Higgie among others.
These Are The Waves reflects that reach. Performers include Mick Harvey, Martyn P. Casey, Charlie Owen, Bruce Kaneand Robert Tickner, with Irish collaborators Mark Corcoran, Roisin Ward Morrow and Sharon McArdle also joining. Guest vocalists include Cash Savage, Peter Milton Walsh, Penny Ikinger, Amanda Acevedo and Dave Graney.
The shows land at Camelot Lounge on July 10, followed by Brunswick Ballroom on July 17 and Memo Music Hall on July 18. To coincide, Impressed Recordings will issue Too Dark To See, the first anthology of Savage’s music, collecting 24 tracks including rarities on limited double lilac vinyl.
THESE ARE THE WAVES: CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF CONWAY SAVAGE
Friday 10 July at the Camelot Lounge, Marrickville – Tickets
Friday 17 July at the Brunswick Ballroom, Brunswick – Tickets
Saturday 18 July at Memo Music Hall, St Kilda – Tickets
