Addi Road meets Abbey Road

Taking cues from the iconic cover for The Beatles’ Abbey Road, Addison Road Community Organisation has started work on a fresh visual project with an ever-expanding supergroup they’ve been referring to as ‘The Peoples.’

The title of The People’s new album?

Addi Road, of course.

With Mardi Gras happening across Sydney, it was an especially proud and lovely day to stride together as one over a rainbow-crossing to celebrate Addison Road Community Organisation’s long-time unity with the LGBTQI community.

“Come together, right now!”

The first to step out for The People’s Addi Road photo shoot were Addi Road CEO Rosanna Barbero; AddiRoad Ambassador and Stan sports analyst, Craig Foster; renowned actor and regular Addi Road volunteer, Bryan Brown; and our much-loved Administration and Venues Manager, Gurwinder Kaur.

Rosanna Barbero brought the revolutionary attitude, dressing all-in-white a la ‘John Lennon’. The agent in black, Craig Foster, was nominated to serve as ‘Ringo Starr’ thanks to the social justice heartbeat he always provides. Bryan Brown was a method-acting livewire and comic relief, a bare-footed and bare-chested ‘Paul McCartney’ complaining about “the lack of a make-up trailer” and – when no one could get in step – “working with amateurs!” The group’s very own Tik Tok superstar, Gurwinder Kaur, anchored the occasion, bringing some authentic Punjabi spirit and genuine cool to her role as ‘George Harrison’.

Was there something in the way they moved? Well, marching in step is not as easy as it looks! Rock ‘n’ roll photographer Tony Mott (the group’s visual ‘George Martin’) did his best to orchestrate a rhythm on the crossing and produce fine images. Having been personally invited to tour with everyone from the Rolling Stones to Paul McCartney and Wings everyone knew Tony was THE man needed for this photo shoot. The Peoples are now his top gig!

Tanya Lee (working hard behind the scenes as  manager ‘Brian Epstein’) brought all the individuals and ideas into line, creating another ray of light from the apple of her eye, The CorriLee Foundation. Kerry Rawlins donated the use of her little darling, ‘Bridget’, a blue 1968 VW that planted the moment in time. Atticus Mordue brought the event into the present and the future with his Tik Tok media campaign. And Danielle Harte zoomed in as the photographer assist and behind-the-scenes paparazzi with the mostest! Vivienne Moore meanwhile brought grooving authority as a traffic controller and sunglasses roadie. It was a group effort in every way. The first incarnation of The Peoples right there.

Over the coming year, The Peoples & the Addison Road Community Organisation will be inviting supporters and volunteers, partner organisations and friends to come on down to their site in Marrickville to help reinvent the iconic photo as an ongoing symbol of community energy and creativity across the city – and across the universe, for that matter.

The pandemic has been getting everyone down. The news of war has been distressing. Even the weather has been awful: nothing but endless rain for weeks on end. It’s just a small step for everyone to join together now. But hopefully this brings fun and connection to something more about who we all are and imagine we can be.

“One thing we can tell you is you got to be free!”