No Strings Attached With ADAM THOMPSON From CHOCOLATE STARFISH

Interview by Kris Peters For more than three decades, the name
Chocolate Starfish has been synonymous with Australian rock music,
with singer Adam Thompson one of the most engaging and enigmatic
frontmen to ever grace the stage in this country. Despite the
success of Chocolate Starfish and the constant touring that comes
with it, Thompson has also found time to branch into other areas of
the artistic world, most notably the Chocolate Starfish Bat Out Of
Hell Show, where, obviously, the band performs the classic Meatloaf
hits from that album and beyond. While not exactly a new project
for Thompson, it is one that is close to his heart, and he has
embraced the role as if it were his own - and God help anyone who
tries to say it's not… This year Bat Out Of Hell - Return will see
Chocolate Starfish traversing the country once more, but this time
there's going to be strings attached. Literally. The electrifying
show that continues to thrill audiences everywhere will be
augmented by the stirring swells of a six-piece string section,
escalating the rich production to mesmerizing heights. Featuring
the classic album in its entirety, Bat Out of Hell - The Return
promises everything audiences have come to know and love about a
Starfish show – it’s an entertainment experience not to be missed.
As a prelude to the main event, the band will be supported by a
specially curated trio performing Chocolate Starfish favourites,
starring Kate Daley and her dazzling vocals, Peter Mitchell on
saxophone and Les Gyori on violin. The star of the show, Adam
Thompson, sat down with HEAVY to talk about Bat Out of Hell - The
Return and more. "We had a lot of success a couple of years ago
with the Bat Out Of Hell show, and we just thought, look, if we're
going to do it again, let's take it to another level," he began.
"About a year and a half ago I did a George Michael show at the
Myer Music Bowl with David Campbell and a few others, and it was
with an orchestra and I just loved it. I said to the boys, why
don't we up the ante and see if we can use a string section because
it's so made for those sorts of shows. I know Meatloaf back in the
day did several of them, and that album is just made for strings.
"It's an eight-piece string section," he continued, "and the
dynamics of the performance will change because previously we only
had synth for something like For Crying Out Loud or Heaven Can
Wait. For some of those slower songs you'll have that lush tone
that the string section brings. So just to feel that groan of the
cello on (sings) 'now the chilly Californian wind, is blowing down
our bodies again…' oh man, it's just going to be goosebumps,
right?" In the full interview, Adam spoke more about the Bat Out of
Hell show along with works by Jim Steinman, enhanced by the
inclusion of a string section. Adam shared his excitement about the
tour, reflecting on the success of previous orchestral performances
and the necessary mental and physical preparation for the run of
shows, which will travel from Melbourne to Perth. He emphasized the
importance of pacing and structure in performances, particularly
with the addition of string players, while maintaining his unique
style. The conversation also highlighted the growing audience for
Chocolate Starfish, especially among families, and the positive
ticket sales, with some shows nearly sold out. We discussed fans
reactions to Adam's personality shining through during his Meatloaf
performance, the importance of sprinkling his own DNA through the
show, and more.

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