So Frenchy So Chic Artists Cocoon and Moriarty Come to The Festival Theatre Stage November 28

Every year, the So Frenchy So Chic compilations offer Australian music lovers a taste of France's diverse musical soundscape. Don't miss your chance when two of its most acclaimed stars - whimsical folk-pop duo Cocoon and five-piece indie-bluegrass outfit Moriarty - grace the Festival Theatre stage on 28 November.

Paris may be best known as a city of sultry chanteuses, as beguiling for their dulcet tones as the poetry and romance of the language they sing in. But alongside this tradition of seductive songstresses, perhaps best exemplified by the likes of Carla Bruni, has emerged a vibrant and sophisticated indie music scene. Crafting their lyrics in English and drawing from an eclectic pool of musical influences, their songs offer a window on contemporary French sensibility well beyond the established clichés of accordions, berets and postcards of the Pont Neuf.

The SFSC albums have sold over 90,000 copies and previous tours with stars Emilie Simon and Nouvelle Vague have sold out. Now Australian audiences have the chance to hear the live incarnations of the songs they've spent all year listening to, discovering the broader oeuvre of two of France's most celebrated bands in the process.

Cocoon is a male-female duo of Mark Daumail and Morgane Imbeaud, self described (and perhaps with tongues-in-cheek) as a folk-pop version of The White Stripes. Their close harmonic, heartfelt and charming sound echoes the refrains of singer-songwriters Nick Drake and Elliot Smith, with a nod to the 'new folk' melodies of Sufjan Stevens and Devendra Banhart. The duo's penchant for deliciously black nursery rhymes set against a whimsical musical backdrop is evidenced in their penchant for curious album titles - I Hate Birds and My Friends All Died In A Plane Crash.

Cocoon has truly emerged in France with gold album sales and frequent airplay, disproving the once-held theory that the French dislike their pop sung in English. Besides Cocoon's catchy original songs, Australian audiences are sure to love their unique covers, including their surprisingly delicate and enchanting take on the disco classic "Kung Fu Fighting". Their next sweet, moving and quietly brilliant album will be released in Australia in October.

Moriarty takes its cue from the worlds of Depression era American folk and European cabaret. This stripped-back ensemble comprises four men on various acoustic instruments fronted by haunting vocals of the enigmatic Rosemary. Also singing in English and with a sound that's been variously described as early Neil Young, folk, country, blues, jazz and even Americana, the one absolute of this mysterious group is that their sound is irresistible.

Like Cocoon, Moriarty is one of France's best kept secrets - although not in their homeland where their album Gee Whiz But This Is A Lonesome Town has gone gold. It will also be released in Australia in October, featuring the instantly memorable and internationally popular track, "Jimmy".

What: So Frenchy So Chic LIVE: Moriarty and Cocoon

Venue: Festival Theatre

When: 28 November

Cost: Adults from $40 (Earlybird until 30 Sept $37.50), Concession from $35, Students $30,

Children $20, Groups $45 (6 or more tickets)

Bookings: BASS on 131 246 or online at www.bass.net.au

This performance is part of trans:mission, Adelaide Festival Centre's music program of universal beats, rhythms and grooves. Proudly supported by Lexus, trans:mission is just one stream in a year-long festival of theatre, dance and music.

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