Clare Bowditch: Melbourne Recital Centre show on sale now – with more East Coast dates to come
Following a run of regional What Was Left 20th Anniversary shows earlier in the year, beloved Melbourne based singer-songwriter Clare Bowditch has announced the beginning of an East Coast run in celebration of her ARIA Award-winning 2005 album. Clare and collaborator Iain Grandage will perform a What Was Left Reimagined show at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Friday March 20 – tickets are on sale as of today – with further East Coast shows to be announced.
Many years ago (twenty to be exact) Clare Bowditch and the Feeding Set hobbled together a little studio in the back shed and recorded their second album What Was Left.
What Was Left stands as an extraordinarily anomaly; a stunningly instrumented, profoundly intimate, cheeky, rebellious, heart-breaking, uplifting, and now uniquely beloved time-capsule of emotions and topics the majority of pop songs did their darndest to avoid, like grief and motherhood. Full of longing and passion, encouragement and cynicism.
And later that year a young Clare Bowditch surprised even her own parents by scooping the coveted Best Female Artist ARIA; thanks to this little album that could.
Following the first ever vinyl release of What Was Left earlier in the year – as a double LP – and a successful regional tour to mark the album’s 20th birthday, Clare will continue the celebrations with big What Was Left Reimagined shows in both Brisbane and Melbourne in February and March 2026.
This concert features newly-imagined arrangements shared by Clare and a handpicked ensemble, including every track from What Was Left on the twentieth anniversary of its release – arrangements that amplify her humanity and extraordinary musicianship, from curator and colleague Iain Grandage.
‘Many moons ago, much of Australia fell in love with Clare Bowditch and her band The Feeding Set as they released their ARIA-winning album What Was Left. Our love for her has only grown over the intervening years as she has spread her creative wings into writing and broadcasting.
‘This promises to be a night of tenderness and truths, delivered by one of our finest singer/songwriters.’ – Iain Grandage
What Was LeftReimagined – Clare Bowditch with Iain Grandage
Friday 20 March 2026 – 7:30pm – Melbourne Recital Centre – TIX
Featuring the legendary artwork of Kat MacLeod, the 20th Anniversary edition of What Was Left comes on beautiful white vinyl with full lyrics. With the original cd length album taking up three sides of vinyl, the limited-edition ep Loose Acoustic One Takes that was a bonus disk with the original initial CD release makes up the fourth side. It is a signed, super limited run, and it will be available while stocks last, at shows and from: Clare Bowditch Shopify
