ZIGGY RAMO’S BLACK THOUGHTS

A COLLECTION OF VOICES ON GADIGAL LAND

"The show felt more like a piece of performance art than just a livestreamed gig, with Ramo becoming visibly emotional and passionate at times. Upon finishing ‘April 25th’ he fell to the floor crying and screaming “I can’t breathe”, echoing the words expressed by Black victims of police brutality."

- NME

In an exclusively commissioned performance featuring a 10-piece band and specially-made visuals, Ziggy Ramo Burrmuruk Fatnowna presented his debut album Black Thoughts like never before as part of the Sydney Opera House's live-streamed lockdown programme. A hip-hop reckoning through love, compassion, dispossession and systemic racism envisioned for listeners from all walks of life, the interdisciplinary performance sparked an ongoing creative relationship with the Opera House that culminated in the award-winning film ‘Little Things (feat. Paul Kelly)’ captured on the famous white Sails.

WHAT WE DID AND HOW WE DID IT

In lockdown 2020, I commissioned this performance for the “From Our House to Yours” digital program. Created during a period of global turmoil surrounding the Black Lives Matters movement, pandemic lockdown and social distancing, as well as Australia’s continuing disgrace with our colonial past, the event featured illustrations by celebrated Perth-based artist Kambarni, animated live from the broadcast studio in an innovative expansion of how the live streamed framework can impact contemporary music experiences.

This was a WHPY Production. AKA me with my Director-Curator-Copywriter-Producer hats on, in partnership with digital media artist Sophie PY.

We made many lifelong friends on this occasion, with some fairly maniacal plans for Ziggy’s next album if it ever comes out.... c’mon man!

END CREDITS

Ziggy Ramo
Milan Ring
Harri Harding
The Extended Band
Kambarni
Courtney Hard
Created, Directed, & Produced by WHPY
Photography by Pru Upton & Dan Boud