David Bridie Announces New Album ‘On Karen’s Piano’, Plots National Tour

The album features Bridie performing songs from his vast catalogue as piano ballads.

ARIA Award-winning composer, producer and songwriter David Bridie is preparing for the release of his latest album, On Karen’s Piano. Arriving Friday, May 16 (pre-order here), the album has been described as “a stripped-back celebration of song, landscape and introspection.”

The record is a return to Bridie’s humble beginnings. It features the songwriter reinterpreting material he wrote as part of groups My Friend the Chocolate Cake, Not Drowning and Waving, along with songs from his solo catalogue, armed with just a piano and his voice.

Bridie recorded the entire album on a rare 1908 Bechstein piano that French horn maestro Barry Tuckwell once owned. It’s a tribute to his friend Karen, whose partner Peter asked Bridie to record the album on the piano as a way to honour her memory.

“We wanted to let the piano speak,” Bridie says. “There’s a quality in these songs that felt best captured through minimalism – no gloss, raw and with space between the notes.

“I was inspired by other artists who’ve revisited their back catalogue in stripped-back, piano-led form – records that still had a unified sound even when they span years of works. Albums like John Cale’s Fragments of a Rainy Season, Randy Newman’s Songbook series, and, in a different but equally powerful way, Cat Power’s Covers. Something is revealing in that kind of treatment – it casts the songs in a new light.”

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Along with sharing On Karen’s Piano with the world, Bridie has announced a run of Australian shows over the next couple of months.

The first is an album launch at Melbourne’s The JazzLab this Saturday, May 17, and is followed by gigs at Avoca’s Acova Theatre on Friday, May 23, Sydney’s Church Street Studios on Saturday, May 24, Perth’s Ellingtons on Sunday, June 1 and Smith’s Alternatice in Canberra on Thursday, June 26.

Bridie then performs at Tassie’s Festival of Voices at Hobart’s The Peacock Theatre on Friday, July 4, and Mullumbimby’s Mullum Roots Festival on Saturday, July 12, before bringing the tour to an end with a final concert at Adelaide’s The Wheatsheaf on Friday, July 25.

Tickets for all shows are on sale now via davidbridie.com.

Catch David Bridie at The Wheatsheaf on Friday, July 25. Tickets on sale now via oztix.com.au. Pre-order On Karen’s Piano here.

David Bridie Australian Tour Dates 2025

Saturday, May 17 – The JazzLab, Melbourne (with Rosie Excess and Xani Kolac)

Friday, May 23 – Avoca Theatre, Avoca

Saturday, May 24 Church Street Studios, Sydney

Sunday, June 1 – Ellingtons, Perth

Thursday, June 26 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra

Friday, July 4 – Festival of Voices, The Peacock Theatre, Hobart (with Monique Brumby)

Saturday, July 12 – Mullum Roots Festival, Mullumbimby

Friday, July 25 – The Wheatsheaf, Adelaide