Katie & Tyrone Noonan

To help celebrate the extraordinary 32 year legacy of Brisbane’s most important indie live music venue ‘The Zoo’, Katie and Tyrone Noonan are honoured to present their debut double platinum george album ‘Polyserena’ in full. A bittersweet occasion, the musos want to say goodbye to their favourite musical home and also raise funds for #thebarthatlovebuilt ‘It’s still a secret/Can you keep a secret’ - venues they believe are as integral to the indie music community as the Zoo and desperately need our support. You can support their campaign here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-plea-desperate-times-call-for-help

This very special stand alone concert will showcase the extraordinary talents of Katie and Tyrone Noonan and their band – Brandon Mamata on guitar, Steele Chabau on bass, Katie’s son Dexter Hurren on drums and the wonderful Jack Carty in support. Debuting at #1 on the ARIA charts in 2002, Polyserena launched george onto the national stage, earning them six ARIA nominations that year – including for Album Of The Year and Best Group – and winning them the award for Breakthrough Artist – Album. Polyserena also scored an amazing six songs in triple j’s annual Hottest 100 poll across three years with ‘Bastard Son’, ‘Spawn’, ‘Run’, ‘Release’, ‘Breaking It Slowly’ and ‘Special Ones’ – the song that also earned george an ARIA nomination for Breakthrough Artist – Single and an APRA nomination for Song of the Year in 2001.

“In 1992, I first walked into the Zoo and immediately felt like I was at home. I was 15 and was able to listen to awesome original indie music in a venue amongst other like minded spirits (whilst eating my vego curry and watermelon!) I met Joc and C and was so inspired by their vision, their sense of community and inclusion and I fell in love with the space and the various awesome members of the zoo army. My first ever gig as a young adult was a David Bowie tribute night called ‘Ground Control to major fun’ in 1995 alongside Bris legends like Isis and Stacey Broughton. My husband Zac and I ran a decade long jazz series ‘Jazz on a Sunday vibe’, and Joc and C were so incredibly supportive of our programme and it’s importance to the Brisbane and national jazz scene in the early 00’s. In the 22 years since the of our debut album Polyserena, it is very special to be back making music with my big bro Tyrone and my son Dexter. Our band started in the lounge room of my uni share house in early 1996 in Brisbane with 2 sets of siblings jamming together. My bro had just returned from living in Europe and I had just started uni. I was 18 – so only a little younger than Dexter is now. This album was the soundtrack of me becoming a woman and trying to find my place in the world. It’s funny how songs morph with time and they come to mean something different. That young Katie still has a lot to teach me and I look forward to singing her words in this special concert with my big bro and my first born son.”

- Katie Noonan

 “When I first returned from three years living in the UK and Ireland in the early 90s, I was immediately drawn to The Zoo like a moth to a flame. It was a bastion of culture and life that blossomed in the post-Sir Joh era of Brisbane, and also a good place to get a meal (which was a requirement as part of their liquor licence at the time)!

The Zoo became home for george and SO many other acts, and it’s safe to say that our band is truly indebted to this iconic venue for our success. The Zoo will always remain in our hearts as a true repository of dreams in Brisbane. It’s awesome that I am able to perform again one more time with my powerhouse sister and my wonderfully talented nephew Dexter, along with our touring bandmates Steele and Brandon.

I’ve come to understand over time, that we were making healing music. It’s an honour to be able to present this body of work once again, especially to a new generation of music lovers who got to know our music through their older siblings or parents. As a longtime DJ and vinyl enthusiast, I am super excited that this album is now available on double vinyl too”

 - Tyrone Noonan