Colin Hay

Most artists who have experienced the levels of success and adulation COLIN HAY has would be content to sit back and earn a living walking to the mailbox and back. Yet Hay is restless, eager to move forward and continually hone his craft while continuing to challenge himself. Hay's solo shows intersperse classic and new songs with hilarious, poignant, and downright surreal stories drawn from his often unbelievable experiences over the past three decades. "I've been doing these solo tours for a number of years," he explains, "going back to the same places and building audiences by doing the best shows I can." Themes of redemption and renewal come naturally to Colin Hay, as he is in the midst of a remarkable renaissance. Colin Hay may be best known as the lead singer for Men At Work, the platinum selling Australian band that topped worldwide charts in the 80s with anthems like “Down Under,” “Overkill,” and “Who Can It Be Now?” Hay’s justifiably proud of his place in pop history, but  since moving to Los Angeles in 1989, he’s made 12 solo albums. FIERCE MERCY, Colin Hay's new album,  is an epic, cinematic step forward from singer-songwriter Colin Hay, most beloved for his intimate, confessional live shows but most widely known for being an influential and celebrated frontman. The range of artists who have chosen to cite him as a muse or who have found themselves on stage with him in the past year spans the genre landscape from heavy metal, to Americana, to Cuban rhythms and beyond. His inclusion as a playlist favorite from the likes of Metallica to The Lumineers reflects his continuing relevance and broad appeal. Recorded in both Los Angeles and Nashville and mixed by Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White) and Gordon Hammond (Buddy Miller, Don Williams), FIERCE MERCY explores themes of love and loss, mortality, and even the odd UFO sighting, but always with the singular perspective and insightful wit that define Hay’s work. He has created a new classic in his impressive repertoire (this is his 13th solo release), using a palette of pop songcraft, Americana flourishes, and soundtrack-ready strings. FIERCE MERCY is animated by its pensive, honest, and impassioned lyrics, and, Hay adds, by a sense of urgency felt deeply in the song “The Last to Know,” which introduces the album’s title concept of “fierce mercy.” “When you’re in your 20s, you think you’ve got all the time in the world,” Hay said. “You get older, and you go through a quickening. Everything seems to get faster.” OPENING ACT  Ruston Kelly has amassed an impressive catalog of cuts including tracks for Kenny Chesney, Josh Abbott Band, and Tim McGraw’s track “Nashville Without You.” The Nashville songwriter has a personal sound which embodies indie, folk and rock. A captivating performer, his knack for storytelling along with his melodic vocal control seems to leave audiences in awe. He’s shared this gift on tour with artists including Robert Earl Keen, The Oh Hellos, and The Lumineers, and at festivals such as Bonnaroo and Wakarusa. - See more at: https://www.tobincenter.org/box-office/2017-09/colin-hay#sthash.yKOFj2OW.dpuf