Roy Orbison, Melbourne, 1967 by HALES, Geoffrey (Australian, 1948- )

Digital print on Epson archival matte paper, format Super A3 480 x 330 mm, scanned from the original print, signed and captioned in lower margin by the photographer, Geoffrey Hales. The so-called Big Show tour came to Melbourne in January, 1967. The incredible rock 'n' roll bill at Festival Hall featured Roy Orbison, The Walker Bros and The Yardbirds, supported by Johnny Young and The Mixtures. This candid photograph of The Big O clutching several packets of cigarettes was taken in the foyer of the Southern Cross Hotel. On the right is Lyndall Hobbs, the photographer's sister, an Australian cult music journalist of the 1970s and later film director. This image was published in Go-Set magazine in February, 1967. Melbourne-born Geoffrey Hales is a musician, composer, artist and photographer. An archive of digital prints of his photographs of the Australian Ballet taken during 1967-68 - a period many regard as a golden age of Australian ballet - are held in the collection of the Arts Centre Melbourne, Performing Arts Collection. His work from this period also featured in the Arts Centre Melbourne and Australian Ballet's touring exhibition Time in Motion : 50 years of the Australian Ballet, which was exhibited at the State Library of New South Wales, 10 Nov 2012 – 10 Feb 2013 (see: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/exhibitions/2012/timeinmotion/items/image04.html ).