By Tanya Faulkner
Knoxfield locals may have taken a cheeky extra-long lunch earlier this month for a one-off concert in the community.
As part of Westfield’s ‘Feel Your Rhythm’ tour, ILLY made a star appearance at Westfield Knox on Tuesday 19 September, bringing his best hits to the community.
Locals flooded to the shopping centre for the performance, enjoying the sounds of the Frankston-born artist in a rare appearance in the Hills.
Artist ILLY said performances like these are far and few between in his career, and he was stoked to have got the opportunity.
“It was a great experience to perform at Knox Westfield.
“It’s not a usual kind of gig that I get to play, and it’s great to be able to meet some of the younger fans and those around Melbourne,” he said.
Normally, the artist performs night-time shows that are age restricted, which means some fans are not always able to see him perform.
ILLY said it’s something he wished he could do more in his career to connect with more of his fans.
“I wish there were more all-ages gigs possible for the younger-aged fans, when those opportunities come up they’re great to take,” he said.
Knox locals were treated to several of ILLY’s biggest hits, including one of his popular tracks ‘Catch 22’ that features well-known English artist Anne-Marie.
“Catch 22 seemed to get the most attention from the audience, because it’s a call and response type song, so the audience gets to shout back and have that real interaction,” he said.
Following the hour-long performance ILLY, alongside his MC Alex Dyson, held a fan meet and greet for locals to come and get photos with the Aria-Award winning artist.
Overall, ILLY said having the chance to perform in the Hills has been a great experience.
“It’s always good to play around Victoria.
“I haven’t played in the Knox area very often, but every time I have performed in Melbourne the fans always show love.
“Even in the city people are coming from all over town to see the shows,” he said.
ILLY said he has a big road ahead of him in the coming months, with lots of projects in the works.
“I’ve got a new single coming out in a couple of weeks, and I’m working on a new album as well,” he said.
The artist has also embarked on an Australia-wide tour, which will take place around the country until the end of the year.
“In the Victoria leg, I have a performance in Werribee at the end of November, which is the closest I get to Melbourne, and I’ll be in Frankston for a home performance on December 23, right before Christmas,” he said.
He said he’s excited to be back on tour, and is hoping to connect with more fans on his travels.
