Blak & Deadly: The First Nations Gala Concert
33 Creative were proud to support our friends at the Company We Keep who produced Blak & Deadly: The First Nations Gala Concert at the Sydney Opera House as part of Sydney WorldPride in March. A big and bold celebration that took place on Tubowgule – ‘a place where Aboriginal people have feasted, sung, danced and told stories for many generations’, the event aimed to showcase Blak excellence in the Arts and highlight the future faces of First Nations LGBTQIA+ talent and artistry.
Mayrah, Chelsea, Emily and Denise helped out backstage on the night, a space they were familiar with having previously all worked on the legendary Deadly Awards. It was an honour to be involved in bringing a celebration of Blak excellence to the concert hall stage once again, and with it a bittersweet nostalgia.
The night was a huge success with an excited crowd and performers filling the iconic space with an uplifting and positive energy, from the buzzing foyer and glamorous Blak Carpet event to the inspiring performances.
‘Faboriginal’ comedian Steven Oliver was MC for the night and kept the crowd entertained with his trademark cheek and powerful spoken word poetry between performances from Electric Fields, Mo’Ju, Samuel Gaskin and the Merindas, special guest Indigenous Canadian tenor Jeremy Dutcher, and Jessica Mauboy supported by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonic Choirs.
Ru Paul’s Drag Race Down Under star Kween Kong also graced the stage as did the fabulous World Pride’s Miss First Nation Supreme Queen contingency and winner, Torres Strait Queen, Cerulean!
Photography by Joseph Mayers Photography
