Thirty years after Jeff Buckley’s first Australian tour, the late singer’s ethereal talent continues to captivate the country that embraced him before the rest of the world. The 1995 tour, which included intimate gigs at Sydney’s Metro and Melbourne’s Lounge, marked the beginning of a deep connection between Buckley and Australian audiences.
Jon Pope, tour manager for that visit, recalls an unusual request from Buckley’s management: silencing the bar’s old cash registers at the Lounge. ‘You’ll understand why when he starts playing,’ Pope reassured the aghast bar manager. When Buckley performed, the silence allowed his soaring voice and band’s dynamics to shine, with moments so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Buckley’s only finished album, Grace, released in 1994, remains one of the most acclaimed records of its era. Australian singer Katie Noonan, who saw Buckley on his second and final tour in 1996, describes him as ‘a once-in-a-lifetime’ talent. His death at 30 in 1997, drowning in the Wolf River, left an unfinished legacy, with posthumous releases including Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk and numerous live recordings.
Interest in Buckley has revived with the documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, screening at Sundance and Melbourne International Film Festival. Katie Noonan is also touring a 20-date tribute show, with sold-out performances at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall and Sydney’s Enmore Theatre. Warwick Brown of Greville Records, an early fan, notes that Buckley’s music required active discovery, unlike today’s instant hits.
