New Music Series 'Rock The Rat' Launches Next Week

On Monday night (29 July), there will be an exclusive preview of a new music documentary series highlighting the importance of inclusion for musicians living with disabilities.

The first show of the series stars Elly-May Barnes, Tim Rogers (of You Am I fame), and Killing Heidi’s Ella Hooper. The Rock The Rat concert will occur at 6:30 pm on Monday at the Red Rattler, Sydney. It’s free to enter the venue, but registration is required – you can register to attend the event here.

According to the event description on Humanitix, the upcoming event is spearheaded by Elly-May Barnes, who “is on a campaign to change the music landscape, making it more inclusive for musicians living with disability. She has formed two bands, to give musicians who have been overlooked a platform to be heard.”

While the end goal is performing a sold-out live gig, Barnes—with the help of Rogers and Hooper—will put on an exclusive show. The concert will be recorded for a new documentary series.

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A month after signing to ABC Music last year, Elly-May Barnes appeared on Australian Story in November to spotlight her life as an artist with a disability.

Elly-May Barnes was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was three years old.

The diagnosis came after she was born 14 weeks premature. At the time of her birth, her parents – Jane and Jimmy Barnes – were told that Elly-May only had a 50/50 chance of survival. For two and a half years, Australian Story filmed Elly-May’s story as she stepped out as a cabaret singer and passionate advocate for people with disabilities.

“I’m in a place where I am comfortable with who I am and to tell my story. It’s OK to be happy and disabled,” Elly-May said on Australian Story.

“If you have any opportunity to give disability a platform, you’ve got to take it.”

Later that month, Elly-May Barnes kickstarted her solo career with a cover of Radiohead’s Creep, the first cut people heard from her debut album, No Good, released in March.

“Creep is not only one of my favourite songs to sing and a real departure from the other songs on my album, but I find it to be an actual anthem for outsiders,” Barnes commented in a statement. “Personally, I have found that I connect with Creep on a big emotional level when it comes to my disability.”