Tom & Nick Wolfe
Being invited to a media call is always an exciting event, but it was even more so last Friday due to the juxtaposition of Tasmanian favourites the Wolf Brothers and Tasmania’s own TSO.
Among the cellos and three violins there were two country rock music wizards, but instead of a Harry Potter wizard hat there was the familiar cowboy hat, jeans and guitars.
The music was the Wolfe Brothers at their current peak, fresh from another award season, ‘Australian Made’ and with ‘Heart and Soul’ (to reference their latest album and single respectively) and during this practice performance their music was elevated to a new level by the orchestra’s partnership.
After the practise session Jonathan Békés the cellist had a brief chat. Békés said after the TSO’s collaboration with the Wolfe Brothers in 2024, this opportunity to perform with the boys again just “makes sense” as “you can’t get two more Tasmanian institutions than the brothers” and of course “the ‘T’ in TSO is very important”.
Of the collaboration Békés says “the more you do something there are more opportunities to discover and it’s great for us to play something different” as there is “great music everywhere”.
Simon Rogers, the Director of Artistic Identity with the TSO, explains the origin of the initial partnership came about with the initiative of talented composer, manager and conductor Tom Rimes. It was at the time of COVID, “when no one was performing” and a series of “all kinds of music” was devised to be held at St David’s Cathedral where Rimes was Director of Music. One of the invitees were the Wolf Brothers. Then the opportunity to invite them again was taken up in 2024 with the first collaboration, a stripped-back acoustical with the “phenomenal” TSO.
“The Wolfe Brothers are extraordinary in that they average an album a year which is unusual in the industry” and “whatever they’re doing it’s working” says Rogers, including “their trips to Nashville and having dedicated songwriting time”.
It was then time for a quick chat to the brothers as they wrapped up their media engagement. Nick told us that “everything is amplified with the TSO” and that “the big moments go huge and a tender moment draw you in”.
“Totally,” says Tom who adds “the experience is like hearing your own songs in a movie”.
With a kind “Thank you for being here” from the boys it’s time to fly or should that be “ampli-fly”.
You can see The Wolfe Brothers performing with the TSO at the following dates and locations:
- 6 February Wrest Point Casino, Hobart
- 7 February Albert Hall, Launceston
