The creative love child of
Dale Caldwell and Ben Fink,
Close to Forever is a 7 piece band featuring some of Australia’s most acclaimed & talented musicians.
A searing and moving listen, a beautiful and haunting mix of rich vocal harmony and luscious arrangements.
CLOSE TO FOREVER
GIGS
Saturday 28th March
CHURCH STREET STUDIOS
62-68 Church St
CAMPERDOWN
Well it's been a while, a year of complicated living in fact, and Close to Forever are very excited to announce our first gig for 2026 with the band in quintet mode at the gorgeous Church Street Studios. Featuring Dale Caldwell on vocals , Ben Fink guitars and vocals , Peter Hollo on cello and Chris Abrahams on piano and Sam Golding on horns, we will be playing our original works, new pieces plus cherry picked material from master song crafters. We are so looking forward to playing especially with our wonderful super minstrels. With SPECIAL GUEST the incomparable Tanya Sparke.
Our CD Hearts and Desire and other merch will be available for purchase.
Stay tuned for further gig announcements for the rest of 2026.
“Hearts and Desire is a creative beacon amongst the mire. I listen to it every day. Beautifully crafted in every way. Every note has purpose and verve."
- Konrad Ball
“Has an openness and innocence that took me back to folk records of the 60s, and the early encounters between folk and rock. Lovely stuff!”
- Lloyd Swanton
"Every once in a while you get invited to a very special evening and Sunday night at the Red Rattler was one!
Close to Forever were so good each song was followed by almost total silence. No one wanted to break the sonic spell by clapping first"
- Geoffrey Datson
"Creating dramatic soundscapes grand and intimate, Close to Forever play their beautiful original works plus a select mix of handcrafted interpretations of works from writers as diverse as Tim Buckley, PJ Harvey, Nina Simone and traditional Armenian laments. From their humble beginnings doing duo performances at Absolute Soirée on Bondi Rd, to sell out concerts with the full band at Venue 505 and Camelot Lounge, Close to Forever have always had the ability to transport everyone in the room to an elevated hypnotic state of bliss."
Dale Caldwell vocals
(Martenitsa ensemble and founding member of singing and drumming band Voices from the Vacant Lot)
Ben Fink guitar/vocals
(The Whitlams, Lior, Christa Hughes and Voices from the Vacant Lot)
Chris Abrahams piano
(the Necks, the Benders, Melanie Oxley and many others)
Danny Heifetz drums
(Mr Bungle, Link Wray, Secret Chiefs, Old Man River)
Sam Golding horns
(Mara Big Band, Sousaphonics, Tango Saloon)
Peter Hollo cello
(Tangents, FourPlay and raven)
Phillippa Murphy-Haste clarinet viola
(Microfiche, Sirens Big Band)
CLOSE TO FOREVER
