Set against the Willunga Hills and surrounded by vineyards, Sky Song lights up the night sky after dark and features the voices of poet Ali Cobby Eckermann, storytellers Major ‘Moogy’ Sumner and Jack Buckskin, plus icons Archie Roach and Kev Carmody.
As the sun sets in the background the ‘campfire’ is lit – flames crackle on the huge animated screen for around 20 minutes until Sky Song begins. This gives the audience a chance to grab a final drink, take a quick toilet stop and settle down onto rugs, beanbags and chairs to wait for the drones to start.
Sky Song is the world’s first feature-length drone show bringing to life Indigenous stories through imagery, poetry, language and song. From the story of how the River Murray was created and the formation of the Milky Way, to how the First Nations peoples hunted and gathered for survival, this show is unlike anything we’ve seen before.
The first part of the show acknowledges Kaurna people as First People of this country here in Adelaide, the importance of honouring all First Nations people and connection to country. The drones above fly in and out of formation creating different shapes, animals and words while the screens below help to visualise the stories voiced through surround sound speakers.
This large scale project features more than 300 drones and what is believed to be Australia’s biggest screen projection – 70 metres long and 50 metres high. Combining the ancient history of First Nations storytelling with the latest cutting-edge technology is such a clever way to educate our children about the importance of our diverse culture.
The drones are nothing short of spectacular. The incredible artistic formations high in the sky are mesmerising to watch and the accompanying stories of our First Peoples are deeply thought provoking. Despite the breeze the drones hovered and moved into place seamlessly and the sound quality was outstanding for a large scale outdoor event.
Sky Song covers topics such as belonging and connection to Country, land rights, the Stolen Generation and the hopefulness of reconciliation. There are messages and lessons to be taught in every story. Hearing that before occupation there were five hundred language groups existing harmoniously and telling us that now is the time to listen, the seriousness of this event can not be ignored.
Play & Go Tips
Leconfield and Richard Hamilton Wines is approximately 40 minutes drive from Adelaide. If you have the time it’s a good idea to plan on arriving when the gates open at 6pm. Allow yourself time to park and walk to the venue – quite a long distance from the carpark! A pull along cart would be useful for carrying chairs, rugs, food and drinks and a pram for tired little legs. The road is rocky and dusty so flat, closed in shoes is advisable. The weather will cool down so check the forecast and bring extra layers of clothing and blankets.