The Black Sorrows returned to Melbourne Recital Centre on 22 November 2025 with a show that honoured more than four decades of music. Close to 50 musicians have been part of the group since the early years, yet founder Joe Camilleri remains the steady force at the front. His voice still rings clear and strong, and his energy has not faded.
The current line-up feels like a supergroup built from the last forty years of Australian music. Tony Floyd of Things Of Stone And Wood is on drums, Claude Carranza of Kids In The Kitchen is on guitar, and Mark Gray of Wa Wa Nee is on bass. Long time keyboard player James Black is now more than thirty years into his run with the band. Atlanta Coogan has been a key voice since 2010, and she continues the tradition of powerful female vocals that shaped the group in the late 80s.
That legacy began with the Bull sisters, who helped define The Black Sorrows sound. Songs like Never Let Me Go became landmarks because of Vika Bull, so stepping into that space is no easy task. Atlanta handled it with confidence and respect. She carried the melody with strength and gave the song the emotional lift it needs. Joe matched her tone with ease, a sign that his voice has stayed in fine form.
Joe works like a musical athlete. Years of touring have kept his range intact. Never Let Me Go puts pressure on both voices, yet Joe at 77 delivered a performance that would have pleased his younger self. His tone stayed warm and controlled throughout the night.
The show highlighted the new album The Quintessential Black Sorrows. It is more than a greatest hits package. It acts as a guided walk through the full history of the band, from the 1984 album Sonala to the 2024 release The Way We Do Business. The set list took a similar path. Joe replaced the early Brown Eyed Girl cover from Sonala with another Van Morrison favourite, Jackie Wilson Said, which fit the night with more punch.
Radio favourites filled the room with crowd energy. Hold On To Me, Chained To The Wheel, Never Let Me Go and Harley And Rose remain staples across stations and they landed with the same warmth as ever. Joe also reached into his Jo Jo Zep And The Falcons catalogue with Hit And Run and Shape I’m In, which pleased long time fans who followed his work before The Black Sorrows began.
Across the last two decades Joe has been one of the most prolific recording artists in the country. Albums like Citizen John in 2019, Saint Georges Road in 2022 and The Way We Do Business in 2024 stand beside his most loved work. They show that he is still creating music with purpose and spark.
The Black Sorrows already have tour dates running through April 2026, and it is fair to expect the rest of the year to fill fast. This line-up plays with heart, memory and skill, and Joe remains the centre of it all with no sign of slowing.
Check Black Sorrows dates here
The Black Sorrows are Joe Camilleri on vocals, guitar, sax and harp, Claude Carranza on guitar and vocals, Mark Gray on bass and vocals, James Black on keyboards and vocals, Tony Floyd on drums and vocals, and Atlanta Coogan on backing vocals.
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