Flora Album Tour - This Feeling is a Memory - Melbourne - Cafe Gummo

Flora presents their sophomore album 'This Feeling is a Memory'. This is Flora's inaugural interstate tour and it kicks off at their local dive bar, Cafe Gummo. They will be joined by locals Sienna Thornton and Gaysie. Flora's debut and sophomore album will be available to purchase on vinyl. 

Doors 8pm

Gaysie 8:15pm

Sienna Thornton 9pm

Flora 9;45pm

Flora is the evocative musical project of Wurundjeri-based artist Manni Churchill (they/them). Known for their alt-folk and country-gaze magic, Flora’s music is a steady fixture of the Melbourne/Naarm music scene. Seeping through venue walls Flora encapsulates echoes of home, unspoken conversations, and a fierce dedication to the underdog. Backed by an intricate ensemble, Churchill’s sonic world draws comparisons to the raw vulnerability of Adrianne Lenker and the melancholia of Phoebe Bridgers. While pulling from an eclectic web of influences ranging from the quirky lo-fi folk of Kimya Dawson to the soulful, textured beats of Nujabes, Flora's sound has it's own unique feeling. 

Central to Flora’s identity is Churchill’s emotional connection to Djarra country. Growing up in the rolling hills of Harcourt, the landscape served as a playground of freedom and imagination. Churchill spent their childhood roaming the hills, building hidden cubbys within granite rocks, swimming in snake-inhabited dams, and proudly guiding friends on tours of the local wombat holes and forests. This profound intimacy with the land remains the beating heart of Flora’s songwriting. It infuses the music with a distinct sense of place and nostalgia.

In Naarm’s vibrant music scene where folk music and community naturally intersect, Flora has cultivated a dedicated following, regularly selling out local venues long before releasing their self-titled debut album in 2024. The first record explored early struggles with mental health in raw tracks like ‘Die Young’ and ‘Get Better’, Flora’s highly anticipated sophomore album, 'This Feeling is a Memory' represents a triumphant, unfolding evolution of their life journey. The album is a cohesive testament to Churchill’s personal recovery, speaking directly to healing, hope, and the enduring strength of bonds with loved ones. 

As an independent artist, Flora begins the songwriting process with an acoustic guitar. While Churchill arranged specific instrumental blueprints for the title track, the band contributed their own creative liberties to build upon the foundations of the other songs. The band consists of Pia Nesvara (backing vocals), Lali Hodgkins (banjo, backing vocals), Finn Endries (viola, accordian), Lachlan White (Drums) and Franz Justice-Delupang (Bass). 

Successfully producing their first album with Lara Prokop, they have collaborated for a second time to produce 'This Feeling is a Memory'. The duo meticulously produced the album to refine Flora's unique alt-folk sound.

Flora’s live performances offer audiences a multi-faceted experience. Performing solo, Churchill delivers the songs in their purest form, just a voice, unconventional chord progressions, and alternate guitar tunings. Deeply inspired by Melbourne’s old-time scene, they also perform as a stringband trio gathered around a single condenser microphone. When joined by the full band, the arrangements bloom into a grand, spellbinding wall of sound. Banjo, viola, accordion, and acoustic guitar interweave with a rhythmic backbone of bass and drums, all elevated by rich, three-part harmonies. With a vast back catalogue of poosongs already earmarked for future stringband reimagining, Flora continues to evolve, proving that home isn't just a place in the hills, but a feeling carried forward.

@flora_andtheband 

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Sienna Thornton is a Naarm (Melbourne)-based Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music blends indie folk, alternative country, and indie rock with vivid storytelling and a deep connection to the natural world. Her songs are rich in poetic lyricism and organic instrumentation, exploring themes of identity, place, memory, and environmental awareness. Drawing inspiration from both traditional folk music and contemporary indie artists, Thornton creates warm, introspective soundscapes that are intimate yet expansive. She has built a reputation for thoughtful songwriting and captivating live performances, with releases including her debut album ***Birding Out*** showcasing her evolving artistry and distinctive voice.

@sienna_thornton_music

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The band is called Gaysie because she's gay. Maisie Niven is a very cool trans artist born in sydney and living in melbourne. Interested in candid and vulnerable stories of love and change, she blends folk, rock, and jazz into a finely distilled and palatable paste. Influences such as Adrienne Lenker, Andy Shauf, Haim, Björk, and Margaret Glaspy might be heard if you really squint your eyes.

@ratgirl.com.au