Saturday 3rd January | 8.00pm Ben Lee began his career as a young teenager in the early 90’s, in the Australian lo-fi punk band Noise Addict, who were discovered by taste-making artists Sonic Youth and the Beastie Boys. That began an extraordinary career that has been both eclectic and eccentric, and still growing more strange and fascinating each day. Whether collaborating in one-off projects like the Bens (with Ben Folds and Ben Kweller), producing a Grammy award winning music/comedy album for Margaret Cho (“Cho Dependent”), duetting with Sarah Silverman, writing a psychedelic children’s musical with American literary legend Tom Robbins, or simply strumming away on his guitar and putting out over 20 solo albums of songs that have made romantics swoon for multiple generations, Ben’s career is always (to quote his song “Ache 4 You”) “confusing...but never dull”. Now, collaborating with his wife, actress Ione Skye, on their company Weirder Together, Lee is supporting other artists in creating bizarre and beautiful content spanning everything from podcasts and music, to events and fanzines, as well as film projects. “Ive always done what seemed fun to me at the time. There is no other compass for me than what is enjoyable... In general, the vibe that is getting you off as an artist is what you have to do. I think artists are most interesting and useful when they follow their own unique rhythm. That’s how you really create and change culture.”