Musician Alex the Astronaut has reached a new career height with a daring roof top performance.
They’re the first artist ever to perform live at the peak of the SkyPoint climb on top of Australia’s tallest building – the Gold Coast’s Q1. The performance took place a staggering 322 metres up in the air.
The pop-up performance for SPRINGTIME, the Gold Coast’s new 100% free music festival, also sets a new record for the highest altitude performance in an Australian city.
It follows the release of the artist’s new album How To Grow A Sunflower Underwater. It’s their second release following 2020’s The Theory of Absolutely Nothing.
While countless adventurous travelers have made the one-of-a-kind climb to the top of the iconic SkyPoint, which offers stunning 360-degree views of the Gold Coast region including the golden beaches, city skyline, and lush green hinterland, the performance from Alex The Astronaut marks the only time that an artist has been given permission to play live at the very peak of the tower.
“I can’t believe how much has gone into making this unique project happen, and I’m honoured to have been asked to participate. I have never done anything like this before. It’s just so cool,” Alex said.
“It was terrifying at first, but if you didn’t look down, you were okay. I felt like a human drone looking down on the ocean, and we even saw some dolphins. It was an amazing experience.
It was strange being over three hundred meters above the SPRINGTIME Festival site and thinking, ‘I’m going to be playing down there in September!'”
Take a listen to Alex the Astronaut singing Ride My Bike.
The artist’s latest album features the singles Octopus, Haircut, Growing Up, Airport, and the their heart-wrenching latest offering Ride My Bike.
Ride My Bike is all about reckoning with the end of a relationship, and how you can move forward with what you’ve learnt from someone else.
“It’s also about hating the gym, riding your bike, and trying to do a lot of different exercise and activities to try and distract yourself from a breakup,” Alex said of the tune.
After playing Splendour in the Grass last month, Alex the Astronaut is heading off on a national tour that will bring them to Freo Social this week.
Tour Dates
Thursday August 11 – Freo Social – Noongar / Perth, WA with Mal De Mer
Saturday August 13 – Darwin Festival – Garramilla / Darwin, NT
Thursday August 18 – Kambri at ANU – Ngunnawal Country / Canberra, ACT with Apricot Ink
Friday August 19 – City Recital Hall – Eora / Sydney, NSW with Tasman Keith
Saturday August 20 – The Cambridge – Mulubinba / Newcastle NSW with Charlie Collins
Sunday August 21 – River Sounds – Gumbaynggirr Nation / Bellingen NSW
Saturday August 27 – The Triffid – Meanjin / Brisbane, QLD with Medhanit
Friday September 2 – Tanks Arts Centre – Gimuy / Cairns QLD with GeorgiaxByrne
Sunday September 4 – Springtime Festival – Kombumerri Country / Gold Coast, QLD
Thursday September 8 – Corner Hotel – Naarm / Melbourne, VIC with Jacob Diamond
Friday September 9 – Altar – nipaluna / Hobart, TAS with Medhanit
Saturday September 10 – Uni Bar – Kaurna Land / Adelaide, SA with Bermuda Bay
OIP Staff
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