At the helm, Joe Camilleri steers the band through an explosion of grooves and well-crafted songs that mix blues, soul, R&B, gospel, country and pop.

The latest incarnation of The Black Sorrows is front man Camelleri ( vocals/guitar/sax), Claude Carranza (guitar/vocals), Mark Gray (bass/vocals), John McAll (keyboards/vocals) and Angus Burchall (drums). 

Camilleri launched The Black Sorrows, in 1984 after the demise of his seminal band Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons the year before. From humble beginnings playing inner-city cafes around Melbourne and selling albums out of a car, Camilleri honed the band into one of the most sophisticated ensembles in the country. 

To celebrate the band’s more than 30 years churning out hits, and the September release of album No.18 - Faithful Satellite - The Black Sorrows have been on the road since January. In fact, their gig at Laurieton United Services Club (LUSC) will be their 50th for 2016 – worth acknowledging.

Fans can probably expect to hear anthemic hits written by Camilleri including So Young, Hit And Run, Shape I’m In, Hold On To Me, Harley and Rose, Chained To The Wheel , Never Let Me Go and the Chosen Ones.

But, dedicated followers will know you can expect the unexpected when it comes to live performances by The Black Sorrows and any kind of set list is thrown out the window. Spontaneous and emotionally driven, Camilleri ensures that no two performances are ever the same. His mantra is simple: “We come to play and leave the audience feeling exhilarated”.

An ARIA Hall of Famer since 2007, Camilleri has stamped his indelible mark on Australia’s music industry. Elvis Costello and John Denver are just two admirers who have recorded cover versions of his music. To have racked up more than 2 million album sales across the world is no mean feat.

In May, they supported another legend of music, Eric Burdon and the Animals, at a special concert in Melbourne, along with queen of soul Renee Geyer.

The great thing about this collective is they are not afraid to stick to their time proven sound when producing new songs, many of which will no doubt be part of the energetic show at LUSC.

The Black Sorrows will be supported by Aqwa  who rew up on the Mid North Coast and exudes the serenity of her love of the ocean. She has appeared on Channel V, V Hits, Rage and Max and had airplay on  commercial radio. AQWA has supported touring artists including Toni Childs, Karise Eden and Thirsty Merc.