QUEENSLAND.- Australian three-piece band The Reels will perform the final ‘Australia Up Late’ on Friday, February 20 at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA).

Queensland Art Gallery Deputy Director Andrew Clark said The Reels performance would be a fitting finale to the Friday night program that accompanies the current exhibition ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’, showing at GoMA until February 22.

Mr Clark said ‘Australia Up Late’ offered audiences film screenings, talks and live music as well as performances by emerging and high profile Australian comedians addressing the theme of ‘optimism’.

‘Since the inaugural ‘Up Late’ program which kicked off last summer during the Gallery’s ‘Andy Warhol’ exhibition and continued during the recent ‘Picasso & his collection’ exhibition, the series has developed a devoted following among Brisbane audiences,’ he said.

‘The Reels, one of the most eccentric and unconventional Australian groups of the 1970s and 1980s, will be a unique experience in the ‘Up Late’ program.

‘Well known for hit singles including ‘Love will find a way’ and ‘Prefab hearts’, the band will also perform favourites from their second and most critically acclaimed album Quasimodo's dream (1980),’ he said.

Mr Clark said so far the ‘Australia Up Late’ program had featured performances by comedians including Josh Thomas (Brisbane), Sean Choolburra (Brisbane/Sydney), and members of Tripod (Sydney), and would in coming weeks feature The Chaser (Sydney) and The Brides of Frank (Brisbane).

‘The ‘Up Late’ program continues to provide an alternative way for audiences to experience major exhibitions in a social setting and enjoy music by a wide range of local and national acts.

‘Audiences to ‘Australia Up Late’ have already enjoyed Kate Bradley, Resin Dogs, Urthboy, David McCormack and Ed Kuepper and the Laughing Clowns, and in the coming weeks can also experience Machine Translations (Melbourne), Katie Noonan (Brisbane), The John Steel Singers (Brisbane) and The Gin Club (Brisbane),’ he said.

‘Australia Up Late’ during ‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’ continues at the Gallery of Modern Art every Friday until February 20 running from 5.30pm until 10.30pm.