LIVE CONCERT - ZOJ: ALBUM LAUNCH TOUR

Next event date: Thursday, 10 September 2026 | 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM

ZÖJ is an acclaimed experimental cross-cultural music duo based in regional Australia, bringing together Iranian-born musician Gelareh Pour (voice, kamancheh, qeychak alto) and Australian percussionist Brian O’Dwyer.

Since forming in 2016, the duo has developed a distinctive musical language that exists at the confluence of worlds, blending traditional instrumentation with contemporary experimental soundscapes. Described as “hypnotic,” “incandescent,” and “one of the finest voices of the moment,” ZÖJ’s music explores migration, identity, memory, and belonging through deeply immersive performances that transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Their work has been praised for its emotional intensity, ritualistic power, and ability to transport audiences into vivid sonic landscapes where ancient traditions meet fearless artistic innovation. Following the international success of Fil O Fenjoon (2023) and Give Water to Birds (2025), ZÖJ released their third album, May The Devil’s Ear Be Deaf, in May 2026. Recorded live in a single take in Canada and launched through an extensive European tour, the album has been celebrated as “a rare, suspended beauty,” with critics praising Gelareh Pour’s mesmerizing voice and the duo’s powerful interplay of kamancheh and percussion.

ZÖJ’s work has received national and international recognition, including the 2024 APRA AMCOS Art Music Award for Excellence in Experimental Music, while Gelareh Pour is a recipient of the prestigious Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship and 2024 Best Persian Speaking Musician in Australia.

A powerful cross-cultural journey through deep listening, improvisation, and Persian poetry.

ZÖJ presents their captivating fusion of neo-classical Persian music and experimental rhythms.

Launching their third album, May The Devil's Ear Be Deaf, recorded live at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada, ZÖJ invite listeners into an intimate and powerful evening.

Drawing inspiration from a Persian saying often spoken when something beautiful is expressed aloud, the album title is used to ward off envy or misfortune, acknowledging that beauty and hope can also carry risk.

‘This album carries the breath of its making, no retakes, no disguises. Each sound was played only once, then left to live or die. To make something so fragile is a way of trusting life itself.’ – Gelareh Pour

When

Location

The Chapel, Cnr Hesse & Stokes Street, Queenscliff, 3225, View map