Chocolate Starfish has long been a household name around these parts, with frontman Adam Thompson hailing from Tallygaroopna.
But with 30 years of flamboyant performances under the band’s heavily sequinned belt, it’s no surprise they’ve become a household name nationwide.
To celebrate three hard-working decades of entertainment, the band is set to entertain us all over again with a series of high-energy live shows, belting out their best hits during a celebratory 30th-anniversary tour, which that kicked off in Warrnambool on June 21.
The tour promises to celebrate the best of Chocolate Starfish — from the band’s iconic debut 1994 hit You’re So Vain (a cover of Carly Simon’s 1972 song) through to its brand-new single released this month, The Candyman Blues, and everything from albums in between.
It will also include selections from the band’s acclaimed Classic Album Series: Bat Out of Hell, INXS Kick and Adam Thompson’s Bohemian Rhapsody Concert.
Known for its unique spin on classics, Chocolate Starfish has blended a classic song from Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory and The Doors’ Roadhouse Blues to create its new song, The Candyman Blues.
“We had been playing around with The Candy Man in its traditional format as a bit of fun, as people often refer to me as 'Mr Chocolate’,” frontman Adam Thompson said of the new single.
“We were all feeling it wasn’t ‘Chocolate Starfish’ enough in its original style; it needed something else, but we weren’t sure what that was.”
Some creative thinking during time on an outback road trip spawned the inspiration to blend the two classic tracks.
“I was doing one of my long Northern Territory drives when it came to me that the song could be sung over the riffs to Roadhouse Blues,” Thompson said.
“Once (keyboardist) Norm put his musical meanderings on the arrangement, the boys played their parts and (producer) Tim Henwood got us into the studio, the groove, feel and performance was authentic and one of the easiest recordings we’ve ever done.”
The Best of Everything 30th Anniversary Tour will include 24 shows across four months, in Victoria, NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, stopping in at Shepparton’s Riverlinks Eastbank on July 26.
“We love that we’re winning new fans with every performance and welcome the latecomers — or next gen — with open arms,” Thompson said.
“Our audience is the centrepiece of the Starfish experience.
“We perform with them, not for them.
“They deserve the ‘best of everything’ — so that’s what we will give them.”
Tickets for all shows are available at www.chocolatestarfish.com.au
Grab a copy of the Shepparton News on Friday, July 5, for your chance to win one of four double passes."