Karen Marks, the underground Melbourne musician who created one of Australia’s most recognised minimal wave recordings, the 1981 single ‘Cold Café’, has announced her first-ever live performance. Marks will perform a one-off show at Melbourne Town Hall on Friday, 28th April. Entry will be free, but those wishing to attend must RSVP online – you can do that here.
UPDATE 27/04/2023: The event is now booked out, but there will be limited spaces available at the door from 7.30pm. Find the set times below.
Karen Marks – ‘Cold Café’
For the performance, Marks will be joined by a band that includes Ash Wednesday (of JAB, Models and Einstürzende Neubauten), plus Beasts of Bourbon‘s Charlie Owen, Blue Ruin’s Adam Learner, Human Backs’ Mal Kilpatrick and Grasshole’s Rick Hawkins. YL Hooi and Modal Melodies are on support duties.
In 2019, interest in Marks’ sole single was renewed some four decades after it was released, when it was reissued by Melbourne label Efficient Space along with a handful of other tracks.
One of these tracks was ‘Won’t Wear It for Long’, which featured guitar from future Icehouse member Robert Kretschmer. Another track, ‘You Bring These Things’, was written by Paul Kelly, who gifted it to Marks himself. The release also featured a demo version of ‘Cold Café’, along with another long-lost song, ‘Problem Page’. Listen to Marks’ discography below.
Karen Marks at Melbourne Town Hall
- Doors: 7.30pm
- Modal Melodies: 8pm – 8.45pm
- YL Hooi: 9pm – 9.45pm
- Karen Marks: 10pm – 10.40pm
Further Reading
Essendon Airport Release First New Music In 40 Years, Feat. Anne Cessna
Laura Jean: “I’m Really Interested in My Audience Coming From All Walks of Life”
