GORDON KOANG ANNOUNCES NATIONAL 'UNITY' TOUR
“Utterly joyous” - NPR
“Its zigzagging melody seems to expand further with each verse.”
- New York Times
"Unity is a compelling and irresistible listen.” - NME
“Unity is a reflection of his in-between existence. It’s indelibly shaped by his Australian bandmates, and it’s of a piece with his South Sudanese roots; happiness and grief wind their way through nearly all of these songs side by side. There’s joy in these liminal spaces, Koang makes clear, setting up shop inside and inviting the audience to join him for a dance.” - Pitchfork
“Unity manages to touch upon some of the darkest elements of humanity, but ultimately points the listener in the direction of hope.”
- Bandcamp
Music in Exile is proud to announce that GORDON KOANG is returning to venues around Australia to celebrate his acclaimed album, UNITY. With previous tour plans cancelled due to Covid restrictions, Gordon and his band are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to perform this album for you, our audience!
Released mid 2020, Gordon’s eleventh album, Unity, captures his unparalleled and unwavering positivity. Featuring singles, ‘Asylum Seeker’, ‘Stand Up (Clap Your Hands)’ and ‘South Sudan’, messages of peace, love, and unity are prominent throughout Gordon’s music and are sentiments that seem to become ever more relevant in our current global context.
It is this positivity in Gordon’s music that brings people together - strangers join together on the dance floor to groove to his catchy melodies, and there is a deep feeling of connection in the collective hope that one feels when listening to his songs. Gordon’s music and his ability to articulate something innately human has resonated with audiences globally. A household name and affectionately known throughout Africa as ‘the King of Music’, Gordon’s music has now garnered recognition in his adopted home, Australia. Most notably, Unity, was nominated for Best Album of the Year in the Australian Music Prize, and he was the winner of BIGSOUND Levi’s Music Prize, alongside numerousMusic Victoria Award nominations. Gordon has sold-out headline Australian tours, and his live performance has been a highlight set at festivals including Meredith Music Festival, Strawberry Fields, and Perth International Arts Festival.
TICKETS HERE - ON SALE JUNE 18 @ 10am
23 July Howler, Brunswick, Woiwurrung
24 July The Dart & Marlin, Warrnambool, Gunditjmara
30 July Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, Dja Dja Wurrung
31 July The Eastern, Ballarat, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung
12 August The Lansdowne, Sydney, Gadigal
13 August Sideway, Canberra, Ngunnawal
20 August Olive Pink Botanic Garden, Alice Springs, Arrernte
21 August Darwin Festival, Darwin, Larrakia
28 August Nine Lives Festival, The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley, Turrbal & Jagera/Yuggera
Gordon Koang’s positivity is unparalleled and unwavering. Messages of peace, love, and unity are prominent throughout his music and are sentiments that seem to become ever more relevant in our current global context. “My mother and father told me that you have to do a good thing in the world,” he explains. “That’s why I decided to have love in my songs, and then to have unity in my songs, and to have peace in my songs.” Given Gordon's incredible journey of resilience in the face of hardship, his steadfast position towards positivity and inclusion is even more impressive.
Born blind and growing up in what is now South Sudan, Gordon began learning the thom - a four stringed, guitar-like instrument that has become the basis for his trademark sound. Accompanied by the thom, Gordon’s unfurling vocal melodies become his medium for sharing his life experiences and learnings. Although his songs discuss his first hand experience of the civil war of his homeland, the hardships that come with seeking asylum in Australia to escape political persecution, or the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Gordon’s positivity is never-ending. Where one may easily slip into frustration and despair, Gordon’s music and lyrics always champion the perspective of faith and hope.