"The sound coming out of those instruments is more powerful then any electronic device,'' he says. "It's so emotive. To hear 67 people play my songs and me singing with them, it's going to be phenomenal.'' Alluding to his famed sense of humour, he says his next solo record will be a more abstract project centred on jazz and classical music. Er, really?

"Yeah, after the orchestra gig I might do some more of that.''

Access All Areas.net.au: Now just finally, once you’re finished here in Australia, what’s coming up for you in the near future?
Surge Tankian: Well its 3 main things really, first i’m off to do some touring in Europe for about a month or so, then i will be going to New Zealand for an orchestral show, where it will be just me & an orchestra which will be very fun & once i’ve got that done i’m going to try & get a new record done, one which is more jazz orchestral based i think.