‘She just conjured electricity': Celebrating Divinyls legend Chrissy Amphlett

Before Madonna talked sex and sexuality on stage, a working-class girl on the other side of the globe was shocking audiences with her fierce and powerful performances.
Chrissy Amphlett was unlike anything Australians had seen when she burst on the stage in 1980 as lead singer of Divinyls. Without her it's hard to imagine Amy Taylor from Amyl & the Sniffers, or Amphlett's fellow Geelong-born rocker Adalita.
A new show opening next week called Amplified showcases the work of the late artist – Amphlett died from breast cancer in 2013, aged just 53 – as well as her extraordinary impact and legacy.
Making the work has been a wonderful process, says Sheridan Harbridge, who stars in the show, and co-created it with acclaimed director Sarah Goodes and musical director Glenn Moorhouse (Hedwig and the Angry Inch).
Trawling through YouTube and watching old performances by the Divinyls and Amphlett solo, Harbridge says there are hundreds of comments from people writing things such as 'I saw them at the Crystal Ballroom and it was the most amazing thing I've ever seen'.
'And then women saying, 'I'd never seen a woman act like that and I didn't know you could',' the actor-singer-writer says, adding that 'equally for men, they were watching something quite electric'.
'I spoke to someone who worked with her and they said, 'she just conjured electricity'.'
Raised in a Pentecostal Christian family in Gippsland, Harbridge wasn't allowed to watch shows like The Simpsons and The Golden Girls, but thankfully her mum didn't know what Rage was, so that was where she first came across Amphlett.

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• Perth Now

Horror story behind girl's smiling photo

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SBS Australia

17 hours ago

• SBS Australia

How Fiston beat the odds to crack an $8bn Aussie industry and go global

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7NEWS

20 hours ago

• 7NEWS

Geelong's T-shirt stunt receives mixed reviews from AFL fans

Geelong's white T-shirt stunt ahead of superstar Patrick Dangerfield's 350th game on Friday night has divided the AFL world. The powerhouse club told fans they would be contributing to a 'slice of history' but the nod to US sports and college football, according to many, missed the mark. In a bid to transform GMHBA Stadium into 'a sea of white', Geelong had 'a free collectable T-shirt' placed on every seat for the blockbuster clash with Brisbane. And fans got in the spirit early, waving and wearing the items as the team ran out on the ground to great fanfare. 'A white-out down here in Geelong ... these are great scenes,' star commentator James Brayshaw said as the broadcast showed the vision of the crowd. But it didn't take long before things fell flat as the Lions sucked the air out of the occasion before powering along to an emphatic 41-point victory. And the club was immediately mocked, with many suggesting the T-shirts were symbolic of 'waving the white flag' or throwing in the white towel (common acts of surrendering). 'The way they played it looked like they were waving white flags of surrender,' one fan said on social media. 'Waving the White Flag before the game even started,' said another. And another: 'White out turning into a whitewash.' And another: 'I didn't have high expectations for the white T-shirt thing but it's looking pretty average.' And another: 'Conceded the first 4 of the game, wave the white flag.' While another raged: 'Cheap tatty cotton on tees in the bin after tonight's pathetic game.' Fans also questioned the Americanisation of the game. 'Why would we want to copy American sports???' one fan asked And another: '(It's part of) the AFL's desperation to Americanise the game.' While another said, 'I pray my club never does this, 'and another called it an 'Absolute cringe ****fest.' But the reviews weren't all negative. Popular sports account Bear said: 'I absolutely love this and it makes me sad Melbourne will never be able to do something like this. Shoutout Geelong.' And another: 'Hate Geelong as much as the next Hawks fan but god damn those white shirts in the crowd look good.' Maybe if the Cats had won the take on the tees would have been more positive.