Adelaide launches Sia Furler Lane, first of its music laneways

Adelaide has officially launched Sia Furler Lane, the first of its City of Music Laneways.

The first five in the series honour Cold Chisel, No Fixed Address, Paul Kelly and The Angels. Each gets a mural inspired by the artist’s music, a commemorative plaque and a street sign.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said Sia Furler Lane was off Hindley Street, close to the now-demolished Cargo Club, where she started her career performing with her acid jazz band Crisp.

Sia Kate Isobelle Furler later moved overseas and amassed a fortune estimated to be close to $40 million writing for stars and making her own records while remaining as anonymous as she could.

“We are creating a series of cultural experiences paying tribute to our musical greats, attracting music fans and tourists to our city,” Verschoor explained.

Furler’s accompanying mural She Imagined Buttons, near the eastern face of Adelaide Rockford​ and JamFactory and created by artist Jasmine Crisp, initially caused a bit of drama.

The singer songwriter’s management contacted the City of Adelaide to request changes as it was too life-like, with a purple and pink wig covering her eyes and a massive black bow on her head.

Crisp, a young and experienced murals painter, made her artwork more colourful and uplifting, returning to the original concept as a statement of the performer’s impact on her audience.

“Sia was the first act I saw perform at the Adelaide Big Day Out in 2011,” the artist explained. “It was one of my first concerts, I had turned 16 and felt nervous among the large, unfamiliar crowd.

“Sia spoke with the audience as much as she sang. My concept design features a playful self-portrait connected to seeing Sia in concert as a young girl.

“Sia’s presence dissolved my nerves and took me to a colourful, comfortable and safe place.”

Laneways for No Fixed Address and Cold Chisel, two seminal acts, will be unveiled shortly.

No Fixed Address Lane, after the pioneering First Nations band that blended reggae, racism and revolution, is off Rundle Mall between Gawler Place and Arcade Lane, and was originally named after 19th century distiller and coppersmith H. Linde.

Cold Chisel Lane is at the corner of Rosina and Currie Street, in the West End off Hindley Street, close to the Mediterranean Hotel (now Red Square), in which they had residencies in the ’70s.

Paul Kelly Lane is near Colonel Light Centre and behind Adelaide Town Hall where he frequently played, and The Angels Lane is near Fisher Place.

On completion, the laneways will form a City of Music Laneways Trail for fans and tourists to understand the relationship of these sites to the acts, and to increase support for music venues.