The Three Seas Set Australian Tour for 'Antaḥkaraṇa' Global Premiere

Following three “Album of the Week” selections across BBC Radio’s World of Cashlar, Around the World with Davy Sims and Glastonbury FM’s World Beat, The Three Seas will return to Australia for the world premiere of their new album Antaḥkaraṇa.

The premiere will take place in Sydney on Monday April 13, before touring to regional festivals, performing arts centres and live music venues along Australia’s East Coast this coming April and May. Tickets are available here.

Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s legendary Real-World Studios in the UK and produced by Sarathy Korwar and Dave Rodriguez, Antaḥkaraṇa continues the band’s 15-year musical dialogue between Australia, the Himalaya and West Bengal. 

The album’s title, Sanskrit for “inner instrument”, refers to the meeting place of memory, intuition and identity. “On the earlier records we were still exploring the meeting point where these traditions and ideas intersected,” says saxophonist Matt Keegan. “Antahkarana has been a defining moment in our sound. The music is richer, more spacious, more devotional. But the biggest shift is internal. We finally trust the space between us.”

Formed in Santiniketan in 2009 after an all-night jam, The Three Seas is a transcultural ensemble linking West Bengal, the Himalaya and Australia. The band unites Raju Das Baul (vocals, khamak), Ashis Mothey (vocals, dotora, esraj, guitar), Gaurab “Gaboo” Chatterjee (vocals, drums, dupki, guitar), Brendan Clark (electric bass, dotora), Hilary Geddes (guitar, FX) and Matt Keegan (baritone saxophone, harmonium).

The Three Seas project was sparked when saxophonist Matt Keegan received the Freedman Fellowship in 2014, Australia’s prestigious award for creative music. Joining the ranks of distinguished Fellows including William Barton, Genevieve Lacy, Andrea Keller and Joseph Tawadros, Keegan used the prize to develop the ensemble and support the recording of the band’s album Haveli, launching a series of international collaborations that have since taken The Three Seas across India, Australia and Europe.

The tour marks The Three Seas’ first Australian appearances since their sold-out 2023 Afterlife tour, and their fifth national tour since 2017. Now, before any European or UK tour, Australia hosts the global premiere. The global premiere tour of Antaḥkaraṇa begins April 13.

Tour Dates

Sydney - Monday 13 April - Monday Night Confessions, Church Street Studios, Camperdown

Dural - Thursday 16 April - Sydney’s Big B Folk-O-Thon

Wagga Wagga - Saturday 18 April - Wagga Weekender Music Festival

Melbourne - Sunday 19 April - The Jazzlab, Brunswick

Brisbane - Thursday 23 April - JMI Live

Mullumbimby - Friday 24 April - Civic Memorial Hall

Bellingen - Saturday 25 April - Memorial Hall

Wauchope - Sunday 26 April - Community Arts Hall

Sydney - Thursday 30 April - Camelot Lounge, Marrickville

Wollongong - Friday 1 May - Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (Great Southern Nights)

Milton - Saturday 2 May - Milton Folk, Jazz & Blues Festival

Photo Credit: Sandip Roy