Cocker’s hits on stage, up where they belong

YOU can leave your hat on at the The Capital on Friday 7 June when The Joe Cocker Experience comes to town.

Fronted by Queensland singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Chev Wilson, the two-hour-plus show pays tribute to the iconic late English performer, who died in 2014.

Over two sets, Wilson and his nine-piece band play all Cocker’s greatest hits, from his beginnings in Sheffield to his legendary Woodstock performance and beyond.

And they do it with uncanny accuracy.

“I’m very lucky that I have a very similar look and voice, so it’s actually very natural for me,” Wilson said.

“He was a very powerful performer; he really gave it his all and that’s what I try to do.”

The Bendigo show is part of a national tour.

Wilson and the band perform classics such as Leave Your Hat On, You Are So Beautiful, Up Where We Belong, Hitchcock Railway, Delta Lady, Unchain My Heart, The Letter, With A Little Help From My Friends and many more.

The singer promises a faithful reproduction of Cocker’s material, too.

“I do my best to channel Joe’s energy and take people on a trip down memory lane,” he said.

“This band really is fantastic and we have really done our homework to make sure we represent the music and the man himself the best we can.”

Wilson considers Cocker, who he describes as powerful and prolific, to be underrated as a performer.

“A big part of why I wanted to do this show is to make sure he’s remembered,” he said.

Showtime on June 7 will be 7.30pm, and tickets are available through gotix.com.au.