KILLING HEIDI

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Growing up in the small Victorian city of Violet Town with a population of around 2000, the brother sister duo who grew up listening to their parents Bob Dylan and Van Morrison records, had rather large dreams to make it BIG in the music industry. Little did young Jesse and Ella Hooper know they would go on to be a huge international success, releasing a series of 2000s hits such as Weir and Mascara off their Aria winning album Reflector, and later go on to tour with their idols, Fleetwood Mac.

Now a little over a decade since the release of their 2004 self-titled album, Killing Heidi are on tour again and kicked things off in Perth last Friday at the Astor Theatre before jetting across the country. Having swapped some members along the way, the Hooper siblings still remain the magnetic force behind the iconic Aussie rock band.

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KILLING HEIDI… Photo: BandAnna photography

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Although it hasn’t been long between gigs for Ella Hooper who has spent the last decade launching her solo career, with her debut album In Tongues in 2014, followed closely by two EPs. She’s also continued to share her passion for music, dabbling in various roles within the creative industry. She’s done a number of stints in radio and TV, as well as being a mentor to a range of young Aussie artists, through the Telstra Road to Discovery program.

Joining the band on the first stop of their national tour, was Sydney outfit Iluka and local singer-songwriter Elli Schoen.

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ELLI SCHOEN Photo – Matsu Photography

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Kicking things off was Elli Schoen who dived in head first with an epic performance, before she heads out on the road on her national tour. Off the back of her 2017 EP Gold Mess, Schoen put on a stellar performance with help from her band members including Anthony Doherty on drums, Jade Richards with backing vox, lead guitarist Chris Mackenzie and James Dunn on keys. By the end of their set the Astor was filling up.

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ILUKA photo: RayneMan

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Up next was Killing Heidi’s touring support act Iluka, out of Sydney. The four piece was fronted by a female vocalist who resembled a young-faced Stevie Nicks, with her silky cream 70s bat sleeves, red velvet cap and mesmerizing blonde locks. The band put on an epic performance, playing a number of tunes including their 2016 single Blue Jean Baby and their newer track featuring some incredibly elusive vocals, Blue My Soul.

Following an impressive performance from Iluka, crowds edged towards the stage for the main attraction. Before long it was time for the crowd to let down their hair and give a warm welcome to one of the greatest 2000s Aussie rock bands from small town Victoria.

Met with a diverse range of millennial cheer, the band took to stage one after another, with the wonderfully charismatic and youthful Ella Hooper, on last, but certainly not least, instantly lighting up the room. Set to perform a number of revamped tracks, the band kicked things off with the jaunty favourite Calm Down, followed soon after by a more subdued track called Outside Of Me off their second studio album Present.

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KILLING HEIDI

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Having said in a recent interview she’d only truly come into her self-confidence in the last few years, Ella Hooper certainly came across as an exceptionally radiant and self-assured individual. Ella Hooper self-effacingly reassured the audience how happy she was to be on tour as Killing Heidi again saying it’s been “10 years between drinks and you all still look 23” despite assuring us that she’s only drinking coconut water on-stage nowadays.

“We just had this dream, we just had this idea in our heads, and we didn’t realise that it was far fetched… but then guess what f*#king happened” she said.

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KILLING HEIDI

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Although before long the band were taking things down a notch and performing a couple of stripped back tracks including their single Kettle, with Jesse Hooper on guitar, Ella Hooper on vocals and James Gilligan on violin. Amping things up again, the band played some crowd favourites next, including Black Sheep, Mascara and Weir, as well as one of Ella Hooper’s solo tracks Monkey Mind.

Although before long crowds were pleading for an encore, which included Superman Supergirl before finishing up a brilliant set with their final track I Am.

Let’s hope it’s not so long between tours next time Hoopers.

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AMNPLIFY – DB