Feelin' Alright - The Songs Of Joe Cocker

Feelin’ Alright – Joe Cocker and his glory days, in story and song

Celebrated pianist and singer, Stewart D’Arrietta and acclaimed guitarist Peter Northcote have announced a dazzling new collaboration, Feelin’ Alright – the songs of Joe Cocker, set to tour the country in 2027.

Both industry stalwarts are stars in their own rights, with Glenn A. Baker calling D’Arrietta, ‘A national treasure, an integral part of our cultural fabric’.
Northcote is an award-winning go-to guitarist for hundreds of Australian and international artists.
Together they are a centrifugal force and with the Mad Dogs band, bring to life the guts and the glory of the northern lad from Sheffield whose songs and performances blasted soul rock into full view.

D’Arrietta said Joe Cocker’s musicality and famous stage gestures were both inspirational and relatable.
“Joe’s spasmodic movements were part of the expression of the passion and depth of feeling that he gave to the songs,” he said.
“Me, I play the piano, so it comes out in my hands, on the keys and in my voice. I think what I love about Joe most was his commitment to the song; he crawled inside it and let it become a part of him.
“He was a great artist and had great taste in songs that he covered.”

With a broad range of Cocker’s repertoire from Feelin' Alright, The Letter, You Can Leave Your Hat On and A Little Help from My Friends, which Paul McCartney said Cocker had turned into ‘a soul anthem’, Feelin’ Alright is not just a show for Joe Cocker fans. According to a recent Adelaide Show Review, “You don’t need to be one to enjoy a showman in full flight, fully immersed in the music, lyricism, and phrasing [of Joe Cocker].”

The five-star review by Steve Davis went on to say the show was D’Arrietta’s trademark style.
“He takes an iconic singer, especially one who sings in the key of gravel, curates a collection of landmark songs, and then threads them together with snippets of history, lightly garnished with anecdotes,” he said.
“He also takes a musician’s approach to his idol worship by not striving to become a graven image of his heroes but rather someone who summons the essence of them. He doesn’t come to fool ya.”

More about Stewart D’Arrietta
Stewart D’Arrietta is a pianist, composer, writer and musical director. With John Waters he co-created Looking Through a Glass Onion which toured Australia and internationally for over two decades. His smash hit show, My Leonard Cohen wowed crowds at Edinburgh Fringe, Adelaide Fringe and a sold-out Sydney Opera House. The show has recently toured in Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and London. His other shows, Belly of a Drunken Piano (the music of Tom Waits) received five-star reviews in New York, Edinburgh and Australia, and Radio Luxembourg (also with Waters) was highly acclaimed with sold-out shows across Australia.

More about Peter Northcote
Peter Northcote is one of Australia’s most prolific guitarists working today. A famed session musician he has built a stellar career live on stage and in the production world as the go-to writer and guitarist for iconic brands for three decades. As well as releasing five albums of his own, he has recorded with Anthony Callea, Australian Idol cast albums, Bob Downe, Daryl Braithwaite, Doc Neeson, Dragon, Grace Knight, Guy Sebastian, Hi5, Human Nature, Jenny Morris, Jimmy Barnes, Julie Anthony, Marcia Hines, Margaret Urlich, Marc Hunter, Neil Murray, Paul Kelly, Shannon Noll, Sharon O'Neill, Simon Philips and Yothu Yindi. International acts he has performed and toured with include Elton John, Cher, Shania Twain, Billy Joel and Tom Jones.

More about Mad Dogs
The seven-piece band Mad Dogs is named for Joe Cocker’s legendary moniker and comprises Australian music luminaries including bassist Victor Rounds, singer and guitarist Jo Elms, pianist Bill Risby, drummer Robbie Siracusa, and percussionist Adrian Herbert.