The first I knew of Andy Golledge was seeing him in the 2019 SBS series Robbie Hood. He had the role of Robbie’s dad and he played guitar and sang, and his music was an integral part of the show, which remains one of my favourite anythings and always will (and it’s still available to stream on SBS).

At the time I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard of Golledge, but research revealed that he hadn’t released recorded music. Thankfully, in early 2020 he released the EP Namoi. But then, of course, everything stopped.

As I told him in this interview, he was the first artist I saw performing a lockdown show online, and I’ve seen him play in various incarnations since - with his bandmate Caitlin Harnett in an acoustic setting, as well as with his band in toto in different venues. Every time, in whichever way, it has been a standout gig. He is an exceptional live performer, so I relished the opportunity to talk to him about performance and about the tour he’s currently on (dates here), as well as about Robbie Hood.

At a certain point in our chat Golledge said, ‘I think the important thing about live music is danger … I love doing it. And I think more people should implement danger in their music.’

Danger is, indeed, what I had perceived in his performances but what’s so interesting about him as a live performer is that the danger comes within a structure that he has carefully created over the course of years, so what the audience experiences is this sense that anything could happen, and probably will, and he’s completely in charge of it. It’s both thrilling and reassuring at the same time.

If you go and see Golledge live at one of these shows, you can expect that - and I’ve seen him live enough times to know it’s consistent - and also expect that it will be a show you won’t ever forget.

Oh, and to establish his pedigree: his first album, Strength of a Queen (2022), won Best Independent Country Album/EP at the AIR Awards 2023 and was also nominated for Best Country Album at the 2022 ARIA Awards and Best Alternative Country Album at the 2023 Golden Guitars. His latest album, Young, Dumb & Wild, was released this year and both consolidates the first album and moves his work along musically.

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