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Frontier Touring

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Gig ReviewsReviews
June 5, 2023
Renee Morrison

[Review] Winston Surfshirt @ The Princess Theatre, Brisbane 02/06/2023

Review By Renee Morrison

It’s a pity Friday night’s Brisbane show was the last for Winston Surfshirt’s Panna Cotta tour – if it hadn’t been I would have told your brother, mother, sister, sister’s friends and, basically, anyone who would listen to go see this flawless performance. The night started later than advertised, but all three sets were well worth the wait.  It began on point with electronic funk emanating from Perth-based collective, Supathick.  Each of the five-piece act unquestionably hold their own and get the early crowd moving… and moving forward.  Frontwoman and vocalist Grace is a standout though with an enviable vocal range and power beyond her years. Since Supathick’s EP, In the thick of it, which was released 3 years ago,  the act have relocated to Brisbane but continued to tour Australia and receive many an accolade.  The sometimes disco, sometimes pop, but always groovy set includes tracks like Time, Backseat driving and slower one, Can’t keep waiting. Like Das Druid who come on next, Supathick don’t feel like just another support act. Let us hope they are not yet tired of touring, despite a very busy three years.

I’ll admit -embarrassingly- that I was pretty unaware of Das Druid before the night. Their commendable presence put the growing crowd in a psychedelic haze I will remember for a long time though.  Unsurprisingly, the band identify The Stone Roses as highly influential to their sound and while such a claim might make other acts nervous, Das Druid are worthy of the self-proclaimed comparison. Their set takes Brisbanites on a magic carpet ride weaving Manchester brit pop with, ravy, trance and even jungle sounds.  Despite the otherwise echo-filled set, the trio cleverly start with a focus on percussion really highlighting their attention to detail and phenomenal sound.  Motion control, Anxious oxygen and Euphoria, all from their first album Das Album are just some of the tracks we’re treated to. The synth-heavy sounds put us in a pleasant daze. 

Between sets the capacity-crowd flocks to the beer garden attached to the venue- Queensland’s oldest standing theatre, the Princess. This 133-year old venue has been meticulously restored but I’ve never seen the seated mezzanine been used before, let alone fill out.  Fortunately I was on the floor, but my space for grooving was decreasing by the minute. Once Winston Surfshirt hit the stage there is standing room only, and just! The Sydney-based six piece start the night with Nobody Like you, leaving no question that they’re here to party. Next up, their collab with Cosmo’s Midnight, Get to know you.   It’s here that punters first experience the magic brought by trombonist, The Bone – magic reminiscent of Andy Cato from Groove Armada.  Slower track, Need you, from their 2019 album Apple Crumble is up next and it’s obvious this crowd are long-time Winston addicts. They sing along passionately.  Crowd pleaser Complicated follows – just try not to dance to this dirty beat. The only thing funkier is the track’s videoclip – be sure to check it out. 

It would have been very easy – and forgivable- for Winston Surfshirt to have designed a set around the songs that have made them near-household names in Australia, songs like Smile, Be about you and All of the little things. While they do play these of course,  the ARIA award winners instead utilise the whole set, and nothing but the whole set, to showcase their huge range of genre bending talents.  All of the little things starts abruptly, and we find ourselves almost mid-song – this works well though and keeps the pace of the night flowing. The undulating beat and vocals are comforting and highlight just why this act attract such a diverse array of followers.  Despite describing themselves as a hip-hop act, and despite being a hip-hop fanatic myself, I think to label them as such is limiting.  Some of their work would feel just as relevant in a (funky) elevator as it would in a Brooklyn club.  Winston’s skills as an emcee are impeccable for sure though and his deep flow could easily be mistaken for none other than ATCQ’s Q-tip. 

A return to some tracks off their first studio album, Sponge Cake, come next.  For real, and When you’re ready are wrapped around newcomer 0421, the latter of which allows the one-man brass section to again take centre stage.  Speaking of the stage, it seems the Princess’ elevated pulpit could simply not contain all that talent – Winston jumping down and getting amongst the crowd at one point.  Loungey, reggae-inspired,  On a lock slows down the pace just a little but if the crowd are disappointed, they sure don’t show it.  In this one, guitarists Bik Julio and Mi-K, and Dool on keyboards keep us bouncing.  It’s obvious that once solo-artist, now front man Winston relishes every moment of their version of Doja Cat’s Kiss me More. The song also makes it clear that Winston has a gorgeous voice, one capable of holding a complex tune, as well as rhyming and rapping at pace. Jazzy Of another kind follows, foregrounding Dool’s magic on the keys. This was one of three singles released prior to their most recent, third studio album along with Maybe I’m in love with you.  No doubt hip-hop royalty, Talib Kweli, who features on the track recognised it was so much more than a love song.  It perfectly encapsulates that aforementioned genre-bending that Winston Surfshirt make look easy. 

There’s only one and For the record are not too far away, the former sounds a bit like Jamiroquai at his best and raises the party vibe in the room once again.  For the record is just as tasty as Apple Crumble, the name of the 2019 album from which it came. Honestly, the production of this track- that translates well to stage- is far more mature than one might expect from a relatively new outfit.  Ali D off the Sponge Cake album is up next – it was the first song of Winston Surfshirt’s I’d ever heard and still reminds me of Glamorous by Fergie for some reason. I can’t help it.  Fortunately, cheeky track Smile and then their cover of Crystal Waters’ Gypsy Woman get the Fergie out of my head.  In a fitting end to their set, well in terms of originals anyway, Surfshirt finish with the song that Winston explains really started it all, Be about you.  With over a million views on YouTube, the track has come a long way since existing as a chorus alone being played to the local pub flies in Sydney.

Winston Surfshirt, while there is no question that you now have a diehard fan in me, I “don’t know how I feel about” the Montel Jordan and then Wu Tang covers as encores.  You pull them both off, naturally, but with a back catalogue as delicious as yours, I suggest instead letting your talent shine right till the last second.  World domination for this six-piece Aussie act is so close you can taste it.  While this tour may be done and dusted, if by some miracle Winston Surfshirt were playing again tonight, I would already have my tickets.  Have a listen, seriously – happiness is just a song away. 

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Gig ReviewsReviews
June 5, 2023
Nikki Eenink

[Review] Matt Maltese @ Northcote Social Club, Melbourne 02/06/2023

Review By Nikki Eenick

I’d been to the Northcote Social Club once before, and it was largely empty. The venue I walked into on Friday night, was basically unrecognisable. The room was already packed and hot inside, people between the ages of 18 and 60, some looking they were fresh from a footy match and others from an English Literature lecture. What brought them all here? The indie powerhouse duo that is support-act Ruby Gill and our headliner, ‘As-Heard-On-Tik-Tok’ darling, Matt Maltese.

Nominated for the Australian Music Prize in 2022, Ruby Gill’s debut album; I’m gonna die with this frown on my face is nothing short of a breakthrough hit. I can hear Gill before I can see her. She’s nestled under a microphone in the middle of stage, sitting with her feet off the edge, softly strumming a guitar or playing a portable piano. All I can see is the top of her brunette mullet-ed head, bobbing as she sings songs like You Should Do This For A Living, melancholic ballads that find their place nestled in between your heart and your lungs. Although she is Melbourne-based, Gill was born in Johannesburg and still has such a distant twang that she lets loose when she’s comfortable and joking – as opposed to when she sings and reveals to us caustic truths about being young, naïve, in love and existential. “On a lighter note, this next song is about falling in love with someone and not being afraid to admit it. It’s full of cliches, but that’s because it’s the only language I had to tell them.” The song in question is soon-to-be-released (hopefully), Imogen Creek. There’s a man in the middle of the crowd, easily over 60, and he is standing so still, his eyes welling up with tears. Within Gill’s work, there’s this power to move us, it’s an understanding of the human condition; all of our cringe, cliches, losses and loves. Regardless of age, she will find some part of you and shake it awake. Never have I ever been at a gig and seen the act stand, clear their throat, and read me a poem. But if any act was going to, it would be Ruby Gill. “I’ve been writing poetry since before I could play an instrument, or knew I had a voice to sing with. And I still, have not… honoured it, as a part of me for most of my life. And recently I’ve been trying to take it more seriously, just in my own body. I’ve had some poems that have meant a lot to me being published, and to see these words in writing means more to me than any song I’ve written. So, I feel like it’s something I have to lean into. I don’t know why I’m telling you all that” The crowd cheers and claps quietly, beckoning for her to go on. “I’m just um… taking you on the journey. *ahem* So this is a poem I wrote about being gay (Happy Pride!). It’s called I’m not exaggerating when I say.” Gill then proceeds to read us a beautiful poem about feeling lost within yourself, and so desperately wanting “a twin”, a soulmate, a wife. Watching her there, in front of the mic, I’m struck by how short she is. I can still barely see her. Her face is covered in massive glasses and her frame is hidden by a large t-shirt and shaky hands. She looks almost uncomfortable in her skin, until she starts to read us a poem, or sing us a song – then she is transformed. As soon as she’s finished reading, she sits and plays for us another unreleased track; jamie. “I hope you’re all excited to see Matt and his lovely band play!” Someone from the front of the crowd screams back, “We’re here for you!” Gill visibly blushes. “This last song is about being stuck in a house with someone during a pandemic who you really didn’t want to be. It’s called love space. Feel free to shout, “I want space!” When I sing it for about a minute too long.” No time to laugh, we are all immediately taken back to our own lockdown experiences, or our suffocating relationships – or in some cases, both. As the song plays, I see couples holding each other – the irony is not lost on me. As soon as Gill starts singing “I need space. I want space.” I hear screams from around the room of frantic voices all having a moment of catharsis together.

I first listened to Matt Maltese as I read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. I listened to nothing but As The World Caves In for about 8 hours, and now the mega “Made-Famous-By-TikTok” hit conjures up images of dystopian America and both Blade Runner movies. So, I think I expected Maltese to be moody or pensive, or something the opposite of what he was. Maltese is just delightful. He’s so fun, and funny and jovial. He loves his band, he loves the audience, he loves his music. He embodies the old adage; “Every musician wants to be a stand-up comic; every stand-up comic wants to be a musician” He has such an easy stage-presence that I couldn’t imagine him doing anything else. The 25-year-old British/Canadian indie-pop/chamber-pop artist fills a void left by people like Rex Orange County if he wasn’t an asshole, and King Krule if he saw an anger-management specialist. Maltese has a little bit of something for everyone.

Fittingly, we open with Good Morning and immediately transition into Rom-Com Gone Wrong. They’re both poppy, a little sad, painfully relatable and coupled with this gorgeous piano reverb and Maltese’s Better-Than-The-Recording vocals. Shoutout to the sound guy who looked like Steve Carrell, you did a great job man. I really can’t explain how beautifully the sound filled the room. Not a note off key, vocals and backing vocals and instrumentation all blending into each other flawlessly. “Excited” doesn’t really cover my feelings for the next hour. We are far from the dystopic landscapes I imagined; this is nothing short of heavenly. Maltese momentarily breaks our trance to give us some bassist/drummer jokes that “We’d been laughing about in the green room” Here’s a taster:

  1. What do you call a drummer with half a brain? Gifted.
  2. What do you call a drummer in a 3-piece suit? A defendant.

The crowd is laughing but Maltese goes “I know they seem mean, but those are the best drummer jokes – don’t worry I’ll pick on bassists in a second.”

  1. What’s the similarity between a bassist and a lawsuit? It’s great when the case is closed.

Maltese then goes into a story about how he was on a long-haul flight and just had to lay down some vocals for this song in his head. “And I feel so bad for the woman sitting next to me, because I knew she could hear me as I breathed into my phone; Cuuuurl up and Dieeeee. So, this next song is dedicated for you, plane lady, wherever you might be, I’m sorry.” Curl up & Die is, as expected, a flawlessly executed semi-melancholic banger. All of Maltese’s songs have this melancholic, heart-broken, love-sick undertone to them, and they are wonderous.

Matt Maltese is nothing if not a self-aware tease. “This is a song about a very happy, very sad, very sad, very happy conversation I had with my mum. It would be weird if I didn’t play Mother now, wouldn’t it? Imagine if I played When The World Caves In?” Playing the opening chord to WTWCI, he smirks and then fully launches into Mother. Winding through madhouse into Intolewd; “If I’d known Intolewd would’ve gotten as big as it’s gotten, I would’ve spelled it so much better”. As the band finishes Strange Time, Maltese launches into another anecdote. “Jamie (their sensational guitarist), was playing that main riff and someone went “oh fuck off!” and that’s how we knew we were in Australia.” And then the trio launch into a Bossanova cover of Strange Time. It is cut short, but we are all losing our minds, especially the lighting tech – I’ve never heard a grown man squeal with joy like that. “In another life, we’d be doing that every day on a cruise ship.” Next up is Everyone Adores You (At Least I Do), the whole crowd is singing along in the bridge. When You Wash Your Hair blesses us to an incredible piano solo from Maltese, who’s swapped anecdotes for arpeggios (they’re not really arpeggios, but it sounds good, sue me) and holds our undivided attention, the stage is bathed in red light. Krystal is stunning, it’s got this sort of 60’s hazy feel to it. Makes me feel like I’m in a coming-of-age story. “Makes me wonder if I ever loved anyone else”, reminding me of my first (and second) love, wherever they may be, Maltese holds those emotions and then helps us let them go. Our memories become fanciful, and how delightful it is to feel so light. Next song off the banger-roster, is personal favourite Hello Black Dog, raspy vocals and deep lighting really bring something to this song that the recording just can’t capture, it’s spellbinding. Studio 6 treats us to yet another Bossanova cover (it’s still not enough). “This next one’s about maybe the one or three times I’ve been to a nightclub. It’s As The World Cav- no.” Maltese is clearly having so much fun teasing us with what we know will be the finale. The real next-up special, is aptly named, Nightclub Love.

And, finally, it is time for THE Matt Maltese track: As The World Caves In. And fuck me, was it worth the wait. There’s this expectation that artists resent their #1 track, but Maltese seems genuinely surprised that the entire crowd is signing along with him. He gives it his all. Playing with tempo, with rhythm, showing off his incredible range and unmatchable piano skills. It’s the perfect way to end the absolute marathon of a show.

BUT WAIT I CAN’T WRITE THIS REVIEW AND NOT MENTION: Rowan and Isabelle.

They got engaged as Maltese was shredding keys to his biggest hit. CONGRATULATIONS! I’ve always wanted to be at a gig where someone gets engaged, and now I have. Maltese looks stunned; “Did you know she’d say yes?” And Rowan just laughs as Isabelle hugs him so tight I wouldn’t be surprised if his eyes bugged out. Congratulations guys, I hope the world doesn’t cave in anytime soon, but I’m glad you have each other – just in case.

Maltese, guitarist Jamie and drummer Jacob come to the front of the stage and take their bows, glasses of water in hand – begging to be drunk. They are all wearing the same shirt, it’s very sweet. Maltese returns, alone, for a stripped back encore of Widows. And then the show is over.

My friend turns to me and says, “You know I don’t think I could name a single male artist in my ‘Most Listened To’s. I think that’s about to change.”

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Gig ReviewsReviews
May 18, 2023
STM

[Review] Damien Rice @ Hamer Hall, Melbourne 16/05/2023

Review By Terri Nas

An icy Tuesday night in Melbourne saw a sold-out crowd venture to Hamer Hall to be entertained by the brilliantly talented Damien Rice. With no support act to warm the audience up, we were ready and waiting for the houselights to go down.  The mood was sombre, hypnotising, but full of anticipation, and it felt as if the whole audience was in a complete trance right from the beginning. The intimacy of the venue and stage set up, and the strict no phone policy meant that you could’ve heard a pin drop, and Damien was given our undivided attention as we were eased into the first song of the evening. 

With an array of no less than 4 guitars on stage and some electronic keys, Rice seamlessly floated from instrument to instrument and for the 1 hour and 45 minutes he was on stage, we were treated to the highlights of his back catalogue. Delicate opened proceedings, followed by Insane & then a beautiful piano arrangement of one of my personal spine-tingling favourites, 9 Crimes.

The extremely dim & minimal stage lighting almost felt as if we were all intruding on a private and vulnerable moment, which also added a layer of mystery, as story after story was told in the form of song. Throughout the show the lighting altered periodically, and it gave the illusion that we were watching the sunrise gradually over the duration of the show. A couple of numbers where the dynamic built up in intensity called for more bright and sporadically harsh lighting, which got everyone’s heart started and ensured we hadn’t got too complacent. 

Once we hit about the halfway mark of the set with the popular Cannonball, it was then that the wonderfully talented Francisca Barreto joined Rice on stage. Sitting behind her cello and with her beautiful vocal harmonies, Barreto added an extra rich depth to the songs being performed, kicking off with Astronaut.

Volcano was a huge crowd favourite and had the audience cheering extra loud and wanting more. The next tune was the more upbeat Coconut Skins, where we were told “you can sit on chimneys, with some fire up your ass”. We were then treated to Francisca’s solo vocals during I Remember, and her voice was truly angelic and hypnotising. 

A heckler from the audience yelled out a request for Elephant, in which Damien replied he hadn’t played it in so long so he wasn’t sure he could remember it. But he played the song flawlessly, much to the delight of the requester and the rest of the audience. Another audience member then yelled out a request to play Rootless Tree, and despite Damien’s minimal interaction with the audience in between songs, he hilariously responded “Am I the requests bitch now?” Nevertheless he jumped on the keys and obliged. 

As we approached the end of the set, I anticipated there wouldn’t be an encore given the vibe of the show. So now there was only one song left to play, another crowd favourite and his well-known hit The Blower’s Daughter. He serenaded us by  repeatedly singing  “I can’t take my eyes off you”, but Damien, it was us that couldn’t take our eyes off you. 

Rice is a true storyteller and with his hauntingly beautiful melodies, he has a way of easily tapping into your emotions before you even realise it. I got the impression, given the vibe of the night, that Rice’s songs were there to do the talking so he didn’t feel it necessary to verbally interact with the audience too much. This is definitely one of the most unique and moving gigs I’ve been to, and a truly wonderful experience.

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Gig ReviewsReviews
May 1, 2023
Nikki Eenink

[Review] Fatboy Slim @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne 28/04/2023

Review By Nikki Eenink

Somehow, everyone knows Fatboy Slim. He’s a household name for 12-year old footy kids, classic-rock listening Dads and mums in sparkly pants. Are we all born knowing him? Where do we find him? I have so many questions, and even more after his absolute smash-hit sold out show at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl. There is no one more deserving of the term; cultural icon.

Despite the heavy rain which left Melbourne covered in mud and dew (just for something different), the team organising the absolute sensory extravaganza waiting for us at Sidney Myer Music Bowl were not perturbed. Everything went on exactly at their start time, with maybe 10 minutes max in between each act. This was one well-oiled machine.

I find electronica hard to write about in general, it’s not a

They played (song) and then (song).

It has such a vibe to it. So let me paint you a picture.

First up was Anna Lunoe, originally born in Sydney, she now lives in Los Angeles doing DJ stints at major festivals like, Coachella and Lollapalooza. As I waited in the rain for my friend, her music started washing over us – courtesy of the venue’s incredible speakers. It was slow, reverby, almost boozy. It was so understated, but she controls sound so magically each song bled into the next and the next until you were in a trance. Completely under a spell. Whether you were out the front scanning tickets, inside eating tacos (they were A++) or dancing, you were taken to Lunoe’s world. It’s a place I imagine is a lot like a club in some movie. Orange light and heavy shadows, as you walk towards the dancefloor behind a waiter with a drinks tray. Listen to Cotton Candy Lemonade and tell me you don’t see it? Unbelievably good vibes. She was the perfect opener, she didn’t leave us drained, she left us soothed – suddenly unbothered by the rain and the cold. Her stage presence is so gentle and she almost becomes her music, as do we.

Second openers were Confidence Man, a band who I have seen live a few times and always loved, are doing a rare DJ set. Now, even though I love Confidence Man’s normal goofy dancing and chemistry – seeing them DJ, you really get an appreciation of how deep that chemistry runs. Janet Planet (Grace Stephenson) and Sugar Bones (Aidan Moore) have swapped out their shiny 60s space-age dresses and suit, and are now in all black, crouched over the table and pumping out banger after banger. They describe themselves as “a portable party”, and it’s undeniably true. My friend once used Confidence Man to convince a car-full of Frenchmen into giving them a ride to their AirBNB in Paris. No matter how tired, no matter what native language, no matter how sore you are – Planet and Bones will have you on your feet and feeling as good as new in no time. Having collaborated with people like Dj Boring you can expect some super lowkey, vibey tracks which will get into your veins and keep you going all night. The lights start to pick up at the end of their set and the tempo starts to go up. A remix of Does it Make You Feel Good? Leads us into our headliner. We are already on a high.

I was not prepared for the over two-hour long, absolute extravaganza I was about to experience at the hands of Norman Quentin Cook – better known as Fatboy Slim. Most of the crowd there is over the age of 40, but when I tell you I have never smelled so much weed at a concert – I’m not exaggerating. Everyone there, is getting rowdy. Everyone is young again. Let’s. Fucking. Go.

I was a little nervous when I saw the projection screens at either side of the “bowl” turn off and on, the Mac rainbow wheel of death staring us all down. But then all three screens went black, and when they game back on, red velvet curtains started opening up all those screens. Backed by the sounds of electricity and a sharp white light on stage, Fatboy is in the building. And he is wearing khaki pants and a Keith Haring shirt. He looks like someone’s cool dad at a Barbeque. The first track starts with some UK DNB-style techno, the distorted lyrics go;

When they said the music was too loud/ We kept dancing

And the suddenly.

I’m in Melbourne/ Bitch

And the crowd goes nuts. Everywhere I look all I can see is a sea of bobbing heads and thrown-up hands, we are an ocean of 11,000, it’s intensely beautiful.

What surprised me most about Cook’s set, is how visual it is. Everything from celebrity-face morphs, into Slim repeatedly swallowing his own head, to his body changing from fat to slim (Fatboy Slim, get it?), Keith Haring-esque men dancing – you name it, he’s got it going on.

Obviously, Praise You, The Rockerfeller Skank and Right Here, Right Now are his biggest hits. And he is such an absolute pro at this that he manages to play each song 3 or 4 times, each in an entirely new way. He remixes Can’t Get No (Satisfaction) with The Rockerfeller Skank and uses DeepFake technology to have Obama deliver a speech to himself behind the presidential podium, but the speech is the lyrics to Right Here, Right Now.

There were a few highlight moments for me. In one instance of his DeepFakery, we get “Bill Murray” delivering a speech by American Preacher Jack Van Impe – which has been at the front of Sex on the Streets, a highly underrated Slim track. It’s so silly, so unbelievably goofy. At the end of the song, we get a black and white photo of Slim outside a house, facedown, on the ground. Two sentences flash up. The first; Drive Safely. The second, and most important; Don’t be a Racist. Also including the iconic Big Lebowski scene where The Dude is at the Bowling Alley in his dream floating through the legs of sexy women, and then there are some guys in red with scissors (Good thing this isn’t a Big Lebowski review).

I Just Came For The Music has some great wisdom; “I ain’t here to fuck girls/ I ain’t here to take drugs/ I ain’t here to start fights/ I just came for the music”

Unfortunately, at the beat drop, when confetti, strobe and fucking fire come out of the stage. Literal flames. My caveman brain can’t handle it. This is absolutely bananas. The crowd is going to take absolutely none of this advice. But it’s true, we are all here for the music. It is so hard to keep the attention of a crowd fighting to stay upright on the mud (some people lost), but he manages to do it. We are literally eating out of his hand, we can’t get enough. And he loves it.

I’ve never seen a man who loves what he is doing as much as I did watching Fatboy Slim. Running into the crowd, demanding high-fives, old-man dancing on stage, swinging around his headphones around – he is soaking it all in, and he is just clearly genuinely thrilled to be up there doing this. Not a shred of narcissism in it, he looks genuinely so happy when people will bounce with him when he tells us to and he just wants to boogie with us all. His energy and zest for life have stayed with me since the concert.

Not only is he insanely fun, the skill on this man. His set is like a winding tour through 90s, through to 2010s electronic subgenres. The precise timing of his visuals to his set, is insane. We are talking he has to be beat perfect, every time. And every time, he is. I was so lucky to be able to see Fatboy Slim the night after this as well, and my friend with me just kept whispering “he’s so good. Nikki, he’s so fucking good you weren’t kidding.” I’d never joke about that. I feel insanely blessed to have seen this man’s talent in the flesh. Do yourself a favour, add Fatboy Slim to your bucket list, because his set is something that is going to live with me forever. He perfectly balances having fun, goofing around and not taking yourself too seriously, while also taking his craft incredibly seriously, and he is a master.

I could (and will) go on and on and on about this until the day I die. And when that day comes, you better play Fatboy Slim at my funeral.

I could not have named a single Fatboy Slim “fan” (someone who rides and dies by the Slim). I couldn’t have told you anyone I know who would have fought for those last-minute Tixel tickets and fought through the mud to see him. But as all 11,000 of us poured out from the venue, it hit me. How can you not be a Fatboy Slim fan. Consider me fanned. A mega-fan. An obsessive follower to his cult of 90s DNB, insane visuals and Regular Joe Charm. Imagine not loving Fatboy Slim? It’s actually not possible.

Weren’t you listening to Slim?

Eat! Sleep! Rave! Repeat!

Let’s go people, the night is young!

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Gig ReviewsReviews
April 29, 2023
Nikki Eenink

[Review] Slayyyter @ 170 Russell, Melbourne 27/04/2023

Review By Nikki Eenink

Apparently, the city is The Place to Be on a Thursday night. As we arrive to 170 Russell to see queer hyperpop icon Slayyyter, we are cut off by police tape and huge crowds. Eventually we find our way into the venue, walking single file with a group of people dressed for a night of dancing, kicking-on to clubs and cute Instagram photos. Everyone is looking on point tonight. Walking into 170 Russel is a trip; a long, dark stairwell descends into the basement, illuminated by glowing purple lights, guiding us down to Prophecy Girl’s opening set. We follow like fish to luminescent coral.

I am nothing if not an Ethel Cain stan. Her album, Preacher’s Daughter is moody, cathartic and emotional – not exactly clubbing material. As my feet touch the ground, free from their stairwell-induced-trance, through the pumping bass and hyper-pop sensibilities, I realise Prophecy Girl has mixed Cain’s successful single – Crush, into an extravaganza of good vibes. It dawns on me that this is going to be a night for anyone, of any musical persuasion, to relish in and enjoy. Prophecy Girl is a Melbourne-based DJ and artist who defines themselves as “Naarm based vampire slayer”. They are certainly dressed for the occasion. Red hair pulled into spikes, metal-looking sleeves leave a bare chest exposed, and leather pants and boots are something out of ‘The Matrix’ trilogy. Prophecy Girl recently opened for other Queer heavy-hitters; Charli XCX and Daine. They are clearly cementing themselves as a hyper-pop icon, just in time for their national headline tour. Through the smoke and deep-blue lights, Prophecy Girl brings out another sad-girl classic, Ethel Cain’s horrifically sad track, House in Nebraska. But this mix isn’t sad. It’s a delight. The crowd is jumping and singing along as if the track had always been made for dancing. Prophecy Girl is a legend, a master of genre-bending. Playing through a playlist to send any Tumblr-era teen down a tunnel of nostalgia – remixing everything from Lana Del Rey to Paramore, my heart is so happy, the vibes are high, the anticipation grows ever-stronger for the night’s headliner. 

Our headliner for the night is Slayyyter, the alias of Missouri-born pop sensation Catherine Grace Garner. She’s known for her fashion, raunchy raps and undeniable bangers, and tonight she is not disappointing. She struts on stage as the lights change from blue to red, wearing a corset and striped pants – like sexy, confident and fashion-forward Beetlejuice (this is a compliment of the highest degree). Immediately we are taken into Slayyyter’s world. The only way I can explain it is like taking MDMA. Everything is fast, sparkly, outrageously fun and captivating. 170 Russel is suddenly packed, a sea of bodies sticking together from the sweat, throwing their arms up and dancing with reckless abandon.

About halfway through the set, Slayyyter takes a water break to talk to us and slow things down a little. She has some advice, “Something I’ve learned in life as a star, is you don’t have time for boys or love or those things. All you have time for is to work or to party. Do you guys know how to party? Well I’m going to show you how we party in Hollywood.” Then we are thrown into I Love Hollywood! In the final chorus, she changes some of the lyrics for us;

I love Hollywood / I love Melbourne more though

This is her second tour in Australia and, in her own words, “That makes me feel fucking famous. I love all of you.” And she is showered with gifts on stage; A hello-kitty keychain, a bracelet – whatever token of affection her devoted fans had picked out for her.

Every song from Touch My Body to Mine is going off, and people are going hard. The dancing is infectious, your body has to move, not dettered by spilled Amyl or the undeniable smell of weed. Debauchery is encouraged here. After all, is this not the time to party? Throatzilla is a crowd favourite, the ridiculous lyrics and vein-pumping bass (courtesy of Garner’s DJ – Owen Jackson) bringing out the best in us.

The absolute highlight of the night for me was the closing song, Daddy as Fuck. The energy was dropping while we waited, anxiously, for an encore. But as soon as Garner feels that, she barks that we have to give this everything we have, before launching into a rockier, grittier, heavier mix of Daddy as Fuck. People start going crazy, suddenly packed with fresh energy, as if the set had just started.

I left Slayyyter drenched in sweat,ears ringing, but beaming ear-to-ear and desperate for more.

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Gig ReviewsReviews
March 17, 2023
Josh Mak

[Review] Kip Moore @ Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne 15/03/2023

As the sun began to set on this warm Wednesday evening, Margaret Court Arena was enriched by a multitude of Plaid shirts, trucker caps, denim, cowboy hats and boots.

With most gigs, fans come dressed up for the event in attire that one would usually associate with that genre. But with a country music show I get the sense that the fans are coming dressed as their true, authentic selves – and authenticity is the perfect adjective to describe both Randy Houser and Kip Moore.

Randy Houser began his set by demanding our attention with his powerful and commanding voice, accompanied by the glassy tones of his Stratocaster. Randy is a big man with an even bigger presence and I think he would have quite adequately managed to make himself heard even without the microphone.

The stage was adorned with guitar amps and fold back monitors, something I haven’t seen at a live show in awhile. Such a setup is probably considered old fashioned these days but there was a noticeably organic difference in the sounds coming from the band and damn did they sound good. As the saying goes, If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

As they performed the infectiously catchy, Boots On, I witnessed the band display technical proficiency that was tastefully balanced with restraint. Note To Self, was an emotionally charged performance that encapsulated the heart felt lyrics of the song and moved us with its honesty.

Randy Houser has an undeniable earnestness about him and every time he addressed the crowd it was like a conversation with a dear friend. Playing in Melbourne is kind of like a home coming for Randy as his wife and extended family are locals, and Melbourne is without a doubt, overjoyed to claim him as one of us.

It’s easy for anyone to understand why Kip Moore is the Country music superstar that he is. A husky voice that soulfully regales us with relatable life experiences, a charismatic stage presence that demands devotion and I’m sure the ladies will agree that he’s pretty easy on the eyes too.

Country music is about the stories, but Kip takes it one step further and delivers a performance that is worthy of a stadium show. Beautiful light displays emanated from the stage, painting the audience in ornate colours and patterns whilst gnarly guitar tones echoed through the air, invoking more of a stadium Rock feel than what one would normal expect from country music.

Wild Ones, off Kip Moore’s second studio album was one of the crowd’s favourites of the night. As they sang along, I scanned the many faces in attendance and saw so much joy wherever I looked.

Somethin' 'Bout a Truck is quite possibly the best summary of all the things that make living in the country great, and from the way the crowd reacted, you’d be forgiven for thinking that they very well might be questioning whether city living really is as slick as it seems.

As a special treat for the Australian fans, Kip did a sensational cover of Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again by The Angels and the audience showed their appreciation by valiantly attempting to sing louder than the band.

Kip Moore and his band have a great chemistry, perfectly complimentary of each other while allowing individual members to have their moments to shine. It’s evident that they have honed their abilities through countless shows over the years and the experience shows.

Rock n’ roll had Los Angeles and Country had Nashville. Rock n’ Roll died or at best, is on life support – yet Country music is not only alive but thriving. Why is that? The reason is because Nashville cares and values its music, its artists and its traditions.

There are probably a million memes on the internet about country music and probably just as many jokes too. However, Country music is honesty and authenticity at its finest. Not qualities one would immediately associate with “cool”, but in my opinion – there ain’t nothing cooler than wearing your heart on your sleeve.

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