Q&A Scene: Nathan Cavaleri

NATHAN CAVALERI PRESS SHOT Miracles — Photo credit: Mel Waring

Tell us about your new tour?

I’m touring songs & stories of the new album “Miracles” around Australia whilst streaming the on and off stage travel experiences live on Twitch. Every song speaks of experiences be it mortality to depression, relationships to psychedelic road trips. There are intimate moments where we’re under the deep blue and then others where we’re cranking it with jets burning high above the stratosphere. You should come! ;)

What’s your favourite work at this point in time?

I’m sure this is a common answer but I really don’t have one. However, I will say this is by far my favourite album because it’s true in the deepest bravest way.

How would you describe your sound in food form and why?

I’ll come back to this question after midnight… Okay I’m back. Imagine a sun that radiates different colours. Now imagine you could eat it without being burnt! That’s my sound.

Tell us a quick, on the road or studio, anecdote.

Good sleep has two components – Loss of consciousness as well as a restful mind. When sleep deprived, shoot for as many moments throughout the day (or when you can’t sleep) to rest the mind. This is why avid meditators often get by sanely on little sleep.

Studio: When recording a take, look at a picture that triggers the mood that aligns with the song. Focus on it until you feel it in the body. Record whilst holding onto the physical sensation. This will help get you out of your head!

What, or who, inspires you?

Right now, kids! They’re always learning and have subconsciously accepted that. For this reason, they don’t beat themselves up like we do when things don’t work out or they fall short. This includes emotional obstacles. They learn, they evolve. Us as adults are no different. One of the biggest mistakes we make as adults, generally speaking, is that we roll like we SHOULD have it all worked out. It’s bullshit. Imagine how much easier life would be if we removed that expectation from ourselves and others.

Which song do you wish you wrote?

Sultans of Swing – Dire Straits… Mainly because it’d make me happy to know that I created a world of mouth “dingalinging” air guitarists that are very unique to the end solo.

What’s next for you?

Hopefully touring OS (once we find out where “our people” are) and of course a follow-up album but right now, I’m still very much immersed in the current “Miracles” experience.

What’s your scene?

Well it use to be the Ray Martin’s Midday Show audience but that bus left god’s waiting room sometime ago now and I’m kind of missing the cheek pulls and moth ball hugs. Nah! I have no idea! Playing in front of KALEO’s audience was pretty spot on but maybe you can help me figure it out!

ANNOUNCES 26 DATE NATIONAL MIRACLES TOUR
NEW ALBUM MIRACLES – OUT TODAY
Stream Miracles

MEDIA RELEASE:: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, FRIDAY JUNE 16

An authentic and adventurous exploration in and beyond the blues and alternative rock realms, the brand new album Miracles out today from revered Australian artist Nathan Cavaleri is a dazzling journey of stylistic evolution and masterful execution. Taking you far beyond the limits of Cavaleri’s trademark creative leanings, Miracles dives headfirst into fresh elements of alternative rock, psych blues, surf rock melodics, funk and swagger alongside Cavaleri’s effortlessly smooth vocals and knock-your-socks-off guitarwork. An irresistible collection of songs to soundtrack life, love and everything in between, Miracles will also imminently offer plenty of sonic delights live in action, with Cavaleri today announcing an extensive run of shows right around Australia from July onwards.

Kicking off on Friday 7 July in Katoomba, Nathan’s Miracles Tour will journey to regional and metropolitan Australia, visiting Taree, Elizabeth Beach, Kununurra, Darwin, Alice Springs, Adelaide, Mount Gambier, Sydney, Canberra, Bulli, Brisbane, Kandanga, Eumundi, Rossville, Wamberal, Newcastle, Hobart, Launceston, Ulverstone, Franklin, Belgrave, Fitzroy, Warburton, Bermagui and, finally, an appearance at Rock The Boat Cruise on Friday 24 November.

Following on from his 2020 full length album Demons, which humbly showcased Cavaleri’s staggering skillset beyond his well-documented early years as a prolific musician and actor, as seen recently featured on ABC’s Australian Story in 2020, Miracles is ultimately a bewitching amalgamation of diverse sonic palettes, sharp storytelling and a no-holds-barred approach to the alternative and blues rock realms, with Cavaleri writing, recording and mixing the album himself, documenting the entire creative process via the interactive livestreaming service, Twitch, accumulating 2 million live viewers throughout the process. Stepping beyond comfort zones and expectations at every turn, Cavaleri’s journey towards the release of Miracles is poignantly reflected in the album’s very cover art; a true miracle of life often trivialised in today’s modern world, but a fitting representation of Cavaleri’s own pursuits of resilience, peace and confidence without relying on the world around, as he elaborates, “The feeling of releasing Miracles inspires the same contrasting emotions that came whilst creating it: liberation with a side of terror! Fortunately, it’s not the other way around. Even after sending the Miracles masters off to the label, my connection to inner truth was tested. The courage it took to create this album has been like no other. All songs pulled, ripped, cried, laughed and loved from the depths of my emotional dwellings; I had to face my creative insecurities head on and challenge all aspects of the past that attempted to block the flow of authentic expression.”

Having grown up in the spotlight, picking up a guitar and learning to play along with some of his favourite blues albums at the age of three, Cavaleri had mastered the electric guitar by the age of five and ticked off his first official gig a year later. Amongst a devastating leukaemia diagnosis and a burgeoning profile as some of the Australian music industry royals flocked to his skills and story, Cavaleri was soon performing extensively around the country alongside the likes of Jimmy Barnes and Diesel, going on to tour globally alongside Etta James, Bonnie Raitt and BB King while still receiving treatment for leukemia. Simultaneously forging his long-term resilience and pursuit for purpose, Cavaleri would receive a clean bill of health at the age of thirteen, before going on to sign to Michael Jackson’s MJJ Records after a competitive bidding war between both Prince and Madonna. But against it all, Cavaleri’s courage and evolution stood strong against multiple storms; a fact that only heightened Cavaleri’s ongoing diversion out of his long-established blues stylings that has currently culminated in the brand new album. And alongside the ongoing expeditions that led to Miracles, some of Cavaleri’s very own mentors also played a part, with varying effects on his creative spirit as he reveals, “I’d been told by mentors, ‘You’ll never be a singer. Get someone else to sing your songs’ and had B.B. King quoting me ‘The future of blues’. Through accepting the possible realities of disappointment from a community that has supported me my whole life, the purpose for creating music was revealed. Ironically, B.B. King’s advice of ‘Be You’ became my anchor. Emotional turbulence is mercilessly expressed on this album and stylistically found its tones within the alternative rock blues space. Musically you’ll hear anything from weeping surf melodies to fuzzy stomp swaggers. I re-connected with my first musical loves and my latest. And with a fight, my voice found home on the microphone whilst paradoxically taking me to places that I’ve never been before.”

Opening with the driving jaunt of Querencia, Miracles journeys across RoadHouse indie blues lined with psychedelic twists and hypnotic grooves (Broken Lines), George Harrison-esque ballads flowing with emphatic lyrical intimacy (Gone To God), hazy surf rock gems (Cool Changes) and doo-wop ready bliss (Not With You). But while Cavaleri’s swoon and croon permeates every corner of Miracles, he also flexes a dazzling grasp on every genre flavour that finds its way into his enticing mix, while also re-establishing himself as one of Australia’s eminent story-spinners. From the sumptuously sleazy and cheeky ode to stepping outside your comfort zone pulsing with personal intimacy (the aptly titled Comfort Zone) to the primal toe-tapper Man On Fire, featuring Archibald Prize-winner Blak Douglas on Yidaki (Didgeridoo) that demands to be blasted down a desert highway both lyrically and musically, Cavaleri expertly weaves a vivid and bewitching world to lose yourself heart and soul into, continually leaving you wanting more. And amongst softer moments (My Boys, Go Quietly), prowling grit (Dry Ice) and majestic instrumentals (courtesy of closing track When the Party is Over, a surf rock-soaked Billie Eilish cover), the true jewel in the crown for Miracles’ 12 tracks is ultimately none other than its pulsating focus track: the title track Miracles. A true rock’n’roll showing from Cavaleri dipped in fiery hues, palpitating beats and lashings of glistening saxophones, Miracles also pays boisterous homage to early 80s rock via its oscillating sonic thunder and explosive zest that beg to be heard in a live setting.

Fans will have the opportunity to catch Cavaleri all around the country from early July right into November, with the man of the moment locked and loaded for his expansive Miracles Tour. And, as Cavaleri reveals, the tour will find the prolific performer balancing his blues chops with definite nods to his guitar solo-laden past. “The Miracles tour has me staying true to the story-telling style performance introduced for my last album tour for Demons, but the show itself has inherited an elevated level of intensity purely from the nature of the songs themselves. Staying strong with a scaled down yet extremely powerful and electric line up, the set gets spotlight intimate, as well as firing hot in a way that can’t be felt on a recording. And as much as I’ve ventured beyond the blues, I can’t not go back to my roots for a few five or twenty minute solos!”

A true icon of the Australian music industry, Cavaleri’s early years saw him tick off everything from an appearance on Baywatch to performing for the Clintons during their time in office, gracing multiple American primetime TV talk shows, and starring in feature films. But after forming a blues rock band with Col Hatcham from The Screaming Jets, Cavaleri experienced adrenal fatigue and severe anxiety, ultimately spiralling into depression that saw him away from the spotlight. But from his lowest point experiencing a panic attack and passing out on stage of the Queenscliff Music Festival to continuously confronting and tackling many of his demons, seen most recently in 2020 via the extremely aptly titled Demons, Cavaleri has gone on to vigorously thrive since his return to stages and studios following many years away cultivating who he is at his core as an artist, a musician and, most importantly, a person. And it’s this discovery and reigniting of passion that most ardently burns on Miracles, as Cavaleri happily concludes, “After three years of touring since getting beyond mental health challenges, I can finally trust myself on the road. The stage is now the remedy not the challenge. The gig is now an anchor of love and presence that I get to experience with thousands around the country.”

Miracles is out today, Friday June 16. Stream Miracles
Tickets to the Miracles tour are on sale now from www.nathancavaleri.com

NATHAN CAVALERI – UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
Tickets available from www.nathancavaleri.com

FRI 7 JULY | BAROQUE ROOM, KATOOMBA NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1051995?eid=1051995&

FRI 21 JULY | BOHEMIAN CAFÉ, TAREE NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/nathan–cavaleri-miracles-album-tour-bohemian-cafe-taree-tickets-621381618147?uid=143087609&sk_eid=41084986&aff=aff0songkick

SAT 22 JULY | PACIFIC PALMS REC CLUB, ELIZABETH BEACH NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/nathan–cavaleri-miracles-album-tour-pacific-palms-rec-club-tickets-621398618997?uid=143087609&sk_eid=41089025&aff=aff0songkick

SAT 29 JULY | HOTEL KUNUNURRA, KUNUNURRA WA | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nathan–cavaleri-miracles-album-tour-tickets-622301970947?uid=143087609&sk_eid=41089479&aff=aff0songkick

SUN 30 JULY | DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB, DARWIN NT | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.stickytickets.com.au/lxjbl/nathan_cavaleri_miracles__album_tour.aspx

FRI 4 AUG | WITCHETTY’S, ALICE SPRINGS NT | 18+
Tickets available from https://mpv.tickets.com/?agency=AACV_PL_MPV&orgid=56489&eventId=16699#/event/E16699/ticketlist/?view=sections&minPrice=24&maxPrice=24&quantity=2&sort=price_desc&ada=false&seatSelection=false&onlyCoupon=true&onlyVoucher=false

SAT 5 AUG | THE GRACE EMILY HOTEL, ADELAIDE SA | 18+
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/1f490073-1d7a-40c2-8e7d-9e08e841b595?Event=165377&utm_source=songkick

SUN 6 AUG | LIMESTONE COAST PANTRY, MOUNT GAMBIER SA | 18+
Tickets available from https://events.humanitix.com/nathan–cavaleri-miracles-album-tour-mount-gambier

SAT 19 AUG | THE LADY HAMPSHIRE, SYDNEY NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/3ea0c587-f2d3-4623-9f67-0303d6149efd?Event=164271&utm_source=songkick

FRI 1 SEPT | CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE, CANBERRA ACT | 18+
Tickets available from https://canberratheatrecentre.com.au/show/nathan–cavaleri–2023/

SAT 2 SEPT | THE HERITAGE HOTEL, BULLI NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/9f89d1da-69a3-4451-99ff-1a11751131c6?Event=165417&utm_source=songkick

THUR 14 SEPT | BLACK BEAR LODGE, FORTITUDE VALLEY QLD | 18+
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/c2c8a5fa-7d31-4451-b330-1e5d2b100fe7?Event=165492&utm_source=songkick

FRI 15 SEPT & SUN 17 SEPT | MITCHELL CREEK ROCK ‘N BLUES FESTIVAL, KANDANGA QLD | ALL AGES
Tickets available from https://www.mitchellcreekrocknbluesfest.com.au/

SAT 16 SEPT | IMPERIAL HOTEL, EUMUNDI QLD | 18+
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/4f8056b3-6825-4657-a195-17e9f8fb7f6e?Event=165430&utm_source=songkick

FRI 22 SEPT & SAT 23 SEPT | WALLABY CREEK FESTIVAL, ROSSVILLE QLD | ALL AGES
Tickets available from https://www.wallabycreekfestival.org.au/tickets/

SAT 7 OCT | OCEAN VIEW BEACH CLUB, WAMBERAL NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/9108efbd-5ca1-4d58-be74-2a567636233b?Event=165442&utm_source=songkick

SUN 8 OCT | LIZOTTE’S, NEWCASTLE NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://lizottes.com.au/live/shows/booking/3581

THUR 19 OCT | REPUBLIC BAR, HOBART TAS | 18+
Tickets available from https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/nathan–cavaleri/151890?clickId=U8typ9X3WxyNTug0SrVq-Re5UkAXKXUsZT-uwQ0&ircid=13716&ircid=13716&camefrom=CFC_BUYAT_1234554&impradid=1234554&REFERRAL_ID=tmfeedbuyat1234554&wt.mc_id=aff_BUYAT_1234554&utm_source=1234554-Songkick&impradname=Songkick&utm_medium=affiliate&irgwc=1

FRI 20 OCT | ROYAL OAK HOTEL, LAUNCESTON TAS | 18+
Tickets available from https://royaloakhotel.iwannaticket.com.au/event/nathan–cavaleri-Mjg4MDM

SAT 21 OCT | GNOMON ROOM, ULVERSTONE TAS | 18+
Tickets available from https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/nathan–cavaleri/151891?clickId=U8typ9X3WxyNTug0SrVq-Re5UkAXKSw4ZT-uwQ0&ircid=13716&ircid=13716&camefrom=CFC_BUYAT_1234554&impradid=1234554&REFERRAL_ID=tmfeedbuyat1234554&wt.mc_id=aff_BUYAT_1234554&utm_source=1234554-Songkick&impradname=Songkick&utm_medium=affiliate&irgwc=1

SUN 22 OCT | PALAIS THEATRE, FRANKLIN TAS | 18+
Tickets available from https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/nathan–cavaleri/151985?clickId=U8typ9X3WxyNTug0SrVq-Re5UkAXKSREZT-uwQ0&ircid=13716&ircid=13716&camefrom=CFC_BUYAT_1234554&impradid=1234554&REFERRAL_ID=tmfeedbuyat1234554&wt.mc_id=aff_BUYAT_1234554&utm_source=1234554-Songkick&impradname=Songkick&utm_medium=affiliate&irgwc=1

THUR 26 OCT | SOOKI LOUNGE, BELGRAVE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/5456e3e4-b7cb-4ab5-a0ad-1f1d21567ef2?Event=165816&utm_source=songkick

FRI 27 OCT | THE EVELYN HOTEL, FITZROY VIC | 18+
Tickets available from https://evelynhotel.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/9db1630d-f016-44fd-9d88-5845c1cc13d3

SAT 28 OCT | ALPINE HOTEL, WARBURTON VIC | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/nathan–cavaleri-live-in-warburton-tickets-619475406617?uid=143087609&sk_eid=41091778&aff=aff0songkick

SAT 11 NOV | BERMAGUI COUNTRY CLUB, BERMAGUI NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://events.humanitix.com/nathan–cavaleri-miracles-album-tour

FRI 24 NOV | ROCK THE BOAT CRUISE, SYD-PACIFIC ISLANDS | 18+
Tickets available from https://chooseyourcruise.com.au/cruises/rock-the-boat-2023/