At Topology gigs, it’s always fun to do a little people-watching. Their audience is a fascinating mixture of subcultures and you’ll see classical fans, jazz heads, and rock geeks mingling (with appropriate social distancing this time, of course); the Brisbane-based quintet attracts a gathering of people with an interest in just about any musical style you can name, rather like Topology themselves. Consequently, their music is rather difficult to neatly pin down. There’s sometimes sheet music involved, so it’s clearly classical…right? The vibe, though, is closer to that of a hard-hitting and virtuosic jazz sesh rather than a typical classical ensemble.

Topology

This concert (and regional Queensland tour) is in support of their 16th album We Will Rise, and is intended as somewhat of an act of healing; the media release for the album states that it “has thematic links to the existential threat of climate disruption and the need for strength, hope, fortitude and resilience in order for recovery and collective healing”, after the onslaught of, well, everything in 2020. The album is essentially a themed best-of, although it does feature one new track with the intriguing title of Drought Stories Texas.

The...