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Gig ReviewsReviews
February 23, 2023
Samantha O'Neil

[Review] Empire Of The Sun @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney 21/02/2023

As the afternoon sun drew behind the clouds and the heavy rain beat down on the street, the doors to the historic Enmore Theatre were opened for the first of two sold out Empire of the Sun Sydney shows. 

It’s been 5 years since the Australian band, fronted by Luke Steele, performed on home soil, so you couldn’t help but feel like this was a special occasion. 

As the crowd filed into the venue, it was glaringly obvious that Empire of the Sun had not only retained fans from their inception, but had gained fans throughout the years, some of which were probably only babies when Walking on a Dream was first released. Even though EOTS released their first album in 2008, the crowd was brimming with punters of all ages.   

As soon as the show begins, it’s not hard to see why the band has held such a wide audience captive for so many years. From the very start, the energy was high octane. Electricity fills the air as the lights finally go down and other worldly visuals appear on the back screen.  As the music begins, the backup dancers walk across the stage, their silhouettes showing off the shape of their costumes, of which could be straight out of a science fiction movie.

Finally, Steele, recognisable from just his silhouette, makes his way to centre stage with his guitar slung casually over his shoulder. Drummer Olly Peacock and guitarist Ian Ball join Steele on stage and moving in unison to the beat with the dancers, they open the show with Standing On The Shore, a synthy hit from their first album. Not quite recognisable at first, the beat kicks in and familiarity washes over the crowd, giving them a taste of what’s to come over the next hour. While Steele remains the main character of the show, Peacock and Ball add stylistic flourishes to the music that would be vacant without them. 

The set list is a healthy variety of the band’s discography, including one of Steele’s solo projects Listen To The Water, a song he tells the crowd he wrote while he and his family were staying in a log cabin in California during the Covid pandemic. Steele occasionally stops the show to talk to the crowd, mentioning the pandemic a few times, mostly to point out how much he’d missed Australia and playing music to a live crowd. He stated that in the height of the pandemic, he’d promised his kids they were going to get back to Australia. Luckily for EOTS fans, this was a promise he kept! 

The band’s biggest hits are sprinkled through the set list, the first coming 5 songs in. We Are The People starts and the crowd roars. There are people all over the mosh climbing on their friends’ shoulders, while the entire crowd jumps to the beat. 

Coming in third last, I was disappointed when Walking On A Dream started to play, knowing it wouldn’t be the song to close out the show. The whole package of music and visual elements coming together and the vibe emanating off the crowd really felt like a finale.

When the real finale of the show starts and the discernible sound of Alive starts to play, the electricity of the crowd is palpable. I rejoice in being proven wrong in thinking I knew what song should close out the show. The bass thumps through everyone and the chorus kicks in, Loving every minute ’cause you make me feel so alive. The crowd knows every word and they sing it back to Steele while he runs wildly around the stage, giving us every last bit of himself.

The common thread throughout the whole show can only be described as quintessential Empire of the Sun. Every facet of the show is littered with elements of the band’s personality. From the various costume changes to the glittering lights and visuals that could have easily passed as a standalone show. This wasn’t just a display of the band’s musical talent, but a clear exhibition of their creativity and an example of what a very specific vision looks like when it comes to life. We can only hope that this is only the start of a new chapter for Empire Of The Sun.

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Gig ReviewsReviews
February 22, 2023
Nikki Eenink

[Review] Soccer Mommy @ Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne 18/02/2023

The opener of the night at the Croxton Bandroom are Garage Sale, they are a new Melbourne 4-piece whose new release Shimmer, has put them on the radar. Even though they’re a new band – everything about Garage Sale takes me back in time. Their bassist, wearing a white lace dress with gothic accessories, the guitarists and drummer with floppy hair, all of them bathed in red light. The year was 1993. They sound like this glorious mix between Sunnydale Real Estate, if SRE had released Nirvana’s Marigold, and had the sex-appeal of Hole. Maybe grunge isn’t dead after all? It’s been reborn, in the shape of Garage Sale. I felt like I’d heard these songs before, but they were so fresh and punchy – I couldn’t have. I was clearly not the only one excited about the Melbourne foursome’s homage to the Seattle Scene. Dripping with sex appeal, grit and reverb, Garage Sale have already amassed quite a number of fans, many of whom were in the room headbanging, slamming the table or unable to tear their eyes away.

You know the old expression: It was enough to make a grown man cry? Well, Phoebe Go does.

Coming back from smokers, we were met by the smooth voice of Phoebe Go. The band room was suddenly packed – 2 or 3 times the amount of people than were there 20 minutes ago, came out of nowhere. We were all fighting for a view of the stage, and the woman on it. Phoebe Go was desperate to hide behind her fringe, she would shuffle a little self-consciously between songs, but as soon as she started playing, she was someone else. I was almost shocked to hear her say “Thanks for having me, Soccer Mommy. You guys fucking rule.” It seemed so brash and off-kilter for the same person who wrote Hey, the person who made the grown man next to me well up with tears with her emotional closing ballad We Don’t Talk. How could I possibly have missed Go in my endless late-night searches for the Ultimate Sad Girl Ballad? Don’t make the same mistake I did. Go! Listen to (Phoebe) Go!

Sophia Allison is Soccer Mommy, but tonight she had a four-piece backing band. They were a rag-tag crew, from Rodrigo on keys and guitar, wearing a gaudy 80’s ski-jacket to Mick on the bass, his bald head, big-framed glasses, sea-glass bass all something out of a Spike Jonze video. And boy, were they tight. The songs went from soft, sparkly, wonderfully melancholic folk/pop, and turned into harder rock covers, with shredding solos, lots of echo and so much drum and bass I felt it in my feet.

To me, there has always been something so uniquely feminine about Soccer Mommy, but as I looked around the room, I saw so many young men. Her Spotify repertoire seems to be adjacent to similar artists Phoebe Bridgers and Indigo De Souza, but these are guys with shirts half-unbuttoned, beers in hand, I was intrigued: what did they get out of Soccer Mommy?

Her major hit circle the drain was the second song of the night. I listened to the people around me, slurred voices screaming the words back at her: things feel that low sometimes/even when everything is fine. We were entirely hers, the music flowed out of them, into us. When she asked us “How do you guys feel about the Devil down here?”, no one hesitated, no one questioned the absurdity of the question. Instead, they all cheered and threw up rock-and-roll hands or did their very best Devil-call, or they booed. If she had asked us to jump, we would have said “How high?” If she had asked us to bark, we would have scared off the neighbour’s cat. We were at church, and she was our preacher.

I realised that Soccer Mommy doesn’t just write songs about the feminine experience, she makes music about the youthful experience. She writes songs for our generation, all of us who were given unfettered access to the internet, and far too early exposure to Richard Siken poetry. Her music resonated with me, the drunk men going hard in the middle of the room, the quiet girl sitting alone at a table. She has taken our journals, our Tumblr blogs, our deepest fears, and greatest hopes and is performing them with unbelievable lighting, double-vocal reverb and many (many) guitar changes. Winding through two-albums worth of hits, a heartbreaking solo performance of Still Clean, and finishing with Your Dog, everyone who was at the Croxton that night, will leave with a bit of Soccer Mommy’s joyous, cathartic melancholy with them forever.

She understands every heartbreak I’ve ever had. She’s seen the ugliness I see sometimes when I look at myself a-little-too-late-at-night in the mirror. She’s punched that guy in the nose. She’s thrown up in an uber. She’s seen me, seen us. She takes all of those feelings which we think make us wretched, horrible, unseemly, and says “Do you want a backing band with that?” or “Jump on in! The reverb’s the perfect temperature!” And it is the perfect temperature; her music washes over me like waves on the sand, and I am washed ragged to smooth, right there, on the Croxton’s sticky floor. Seeing Soccer Mommy at such an intimate venue reminded me of why I love music, love being a hopeless romantic, love being a woman, love being a little bit ugly and a little bit messy. Soccer Mommy reminds us that total strangers will wrap their arms around each other to cry, and then, not even a song later, to dance and hold each other up.

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InterviewsTour Interview
February 20, 2023
Noah Redfern

Interview with Henry Rollins

(NR) It’s been close to seven years since your last time here, with a few years of COVID in between to keep your feet planted. Did you miss being on the road the last few years? Is life on tour something you look forward to?

(HR) I’d rather be on tour than home. On tour or at least traveling. I didn’t start out that way but after many years of living for months at a time all over the place, I figured it was the best thing for me. So, yes, I’ve missed touring a lot and also, I wondered if live shows were going to still be a possibility ever again. When I was finally able to go back out again, it was amazing. At this moment, I’m in Warsaw, Poland. 

In Melbourne the post-pandemic setting has injected a breath of fresh air and positivity into the local music scene. Have you seen this effecting musicians and audiences around you in the US?

Yes. You see it in interviews and at shows. Both bands and audiences are into being back. I think of a lot of people, going to shows is a normal thing and being able to go to a show again is somewhat closer to how things were before COVID. 

You’ve got an eclectic taste to say the least. In a time where genre is almost becoming a thing of the past, what’ve been your favourite records of the past year?

Tamar Aphek’s album All Bets Are Off I thought was really smart, the new Automatic album Excess is great. There’s a band from Atlanta, Georgia called Upchuck on the Famous Class label who are really good. 

I know you love Hard-Ons and Nick Cave, who else are some Aussie icons of yesteryear and today who you love to listen to?

I play a lot of Australian bands on my radio show. 1-800-MIKEY, Chimers, Alien Nosejob, Delivery, The Prize, Imperial Leather, Romero, Power Supply, Shifters, Blonde Revolver, Gee Tee. This is just off the top of my head. Apologies to all the ones I’m not listing. There seems to be no shortage of great bands out of Australia. 

You’re a big crate digger, what makes a record store a good one for you? Is it about selection, personality, genre? And what is your favourite Melbourne record store? I’m always hearing rumours of you popping into Poison City…

For me, a good record store is one that takes advantage of space by curating well. Strangeworld Records in Melbourne is a must go to store. I usually arrange a day off on tour to spend hours there and warn Richie what day I’ll be there. He sets aside records he thinks I might like and I check them out. He knows his stuff and his store is packed with great records. This is the mark of a good store. The people who run it actually listen to the music and are able to recommend good music to the customers come to trust the “cool person at the record store.” These kind of relationships can go for years. 

You spoke a while back about the effect a good record can have on someone going through trouble, for example giving a young queer kid a DEVO record. What music helped you most in the harder years of youth?

When I was teenage, we had arena rock, the big bands you’d hear on the radio. We’d go see them. It was pretty good but a bit anonymous. It’s you and thousands of people. Then, we were able to go to clubs and smaller venues and everything changed. Seeing Led Zeppelin was great but standing right in front of the Clash or the Ramones, like getting sweated on by them, seeing the Cramps from up front, these were for me, life altering events. It was Punk Rock, which I got into as soon as I was able that was the big change in my life. DEVO’s album Duty Now For The Future, I don’t know how many times I’ve played that. 

What’re your thoughts on social media today, and how bands often have no choice but to dive into it as a platform to their art? Do you think the cycle of content creation is harming the creativity of today’s musicians?

I could not say how a music platform affects a band’s work. The Indie bands I listen to, they seem to make their music with no problem, there’s vinyl and downloads and it sounds good to me. They tour and I go to see them play. It doesn’t seem any different in that respect than it’s ever been. There might be a lot I’m not seeing because I’m old and I don’t make records any more. I can’t see anyone’s creativity being pushed on. 

You’ve brought up your experience being over medicated as a child. How do you think it effected your development? Do you think labels and medication are helpful for a neuro- divergent child, or did you find it more of a hinderance?

I was given a lot of Ritalin. When I was young, they were fairly throwing it down my neck. I cannot speak to what it might have done to me with any authority as I’m not a doctor but it did keep me from eating and I think that had an effect on my growth. Again, I’m simply not qualified to speak on medications and those being medicated. I have a feeling I was one thing but being medicated for something else. At this point, if I were somehow prescribed a medication for my brain, I’d never go near it. 

In 2019, you spoke about the “strong silent type” and the harm it can have on men, what do you think defines masculinity for you, or what should men strive for in today’s age?

I think both men and women, at least in the “Western World” are marketed to up to the gills. In those endless pitches, an identity via consumerism can be established. Men are supposed to do this, wear this, smell like this, like this, not like that, etc. Someone’s making money and someone else is getting played. What if men were to completely throw out the idea of masculinity, or at least treat it as merely an exercise in branding, and just be themselves. Their orientation and hormonal balance will probably steer them where they need to go, they don’t need to look at an advertisement or listen to some stupid thing their father told them (I’m projecting here) and they can just be who they are. What to strive for? Maybe a life without the role playing. 

What kind of stories and tales can your fans expect upon your return to Aus in June and July?

I’ve always got a lot to say. I’ll be about 170 shows into the tour at that point, so I should be pretty well oiled.

See what Henry Rollins has to say on his upcoming tour

Tickets are on sale now!

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Gig ReviewsReviews
February 13, 2023
Josh Mak

[Review] Vengaboys @ Forum Theatre, Melbourne 11/02/2023

An ocean of sequins, glitter and maritime-themed sailor outfits greeted me as I entered The Forum. It’s been 25 years since the Vengaboys exploded onto the scene and a quarter of a century later, it’s evidently clear that people – still love to party.

DJ Nick Skitz

The dance floor was already close to capacity when DJ Nick Skitz took to the stage. The Forum, a venue usually home to live bands had now been transformed into a massive night club. No time was wasted and DJ Nick Skitz came out strong with hard-hitting bass beats that reached deep into the chest cavity of every patron in the venue. He paced his set brilliantly and continually built the momentum throughout the night. There was never a lull in the energy and that is always highly commendable when well executed by a DJ.

Reel 2 Real

I was completely caught of guard by the next artist that came out. The Mad Stuntman of Madagascar fame himself! His larger than life personality and tremendous presence instantly brought the energy levels way up and goddamn – did we move it, move it. In a single song he captivated every person in the crowd and had them eating out of his hands.

N-Trance

Up next were the UK’s electronic sensation, N-Trance. Once again we felt ourselves lifted to another level. Their set was so infectious that I found myself dancing against my will. Those who know me, know that I never dance (my wife can vouch for that). However when the beats are this good, the body reacts without consulting the mind. Electronic Pleasure is more than just a song, it’s the perfect description of what seeing N-Trance live feels like.

Alice DJ

Leaving the UK we crossed the ocean with the next act coming all the way from Holland. The Eurodance chart toppers, Alice DJ. With every new artist that came on stage the venue seemed to keep getting fuller and fuller, with an endless stream of patrons pouring in. They had the audience singing at the top of their lungs along to the smash hit, Better Off Alone and had us all moving in unison with simple yet effective dance moves that the crowd, including myself, was happy to comply with.

Whigfield

I realise I’m repeating myself by this point but once again the energy in the room rose as the crowd roared as Whigfield aka Sannie Charlotte Carlson took to the stage. With songs like Sexy Eyes and Saturday Night the crowd was enthralled. These songs have been around for nearly 3 decades and in that time, they have lost absolutely none of their appeal to an audience that loved them just as much today as they did back in the 90’s.

VENGABOYS

 The lights dimmed and a video played across the screen as a loud commanding voice narrated the words appearing on-screen. In what can only be described as an unreasonably epic intro, we were being hyped up for the headliners. The one, the only, Vengaboys. Bursting on to the stage in flamboyant and fluorescent attire they made their grand entrance, heralded by a flash of pyrotechnics. They went straight into Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom and the crowd sang louder than the sound system could keep up with.

The set wasn’t just their hits, but a non stop collection of some of the biggest dance songs and remixes of all time.

The set was closed with, We Like to Party and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that each and everyone of us was aboard the Venga Bus, as massive inflatable balloons descended from the ceiling of the Forum Theatre. The word nostalgia is defined as; a feeling evocative of a longed-for past time or condition – and that is exactly what seeing the Vengaboys made us feel.

Years ago when many of the artists I saw tonight first emerged, a lot of people, including myself thought that they might be a passing fad or even a little gimmicky. Maybe Eurodance and Techno was nothing more than a trend. However, no gimmick or trend can endure for 25 years, and then proceed to sell out two shows in a row.

What is it that makes an act like Vengaboys not just endure but thrive for as long as they have? Having witnessed it for myself I think I know the answer. This music makes you feel good. It brings people together and for a moment your problems go away and you are all united in the same warm, fuzzy emotion. And that my friends, is something that will never go out of style.

This review is dedicated in loving memory to my dear friend and brother, Jacob Ngahere. Let us always remember the party.

VENGABOYS

​25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

​WITH WHIGFIELD, N-TRANCE, REEL 2 REAL FEAT. THE MAD STUNTMAN + NICK SKITZ ​

​Remaining Dates: 

Thursday 16 February
​Big Top | Sydney, NSW
​18+
​ticketmaster.com.au

Friday 17 February
​Waves | Wollongong, NSW
​18+
​On sale: Wednesday 14 December (2pm AEDT)
​moshtix.com.au

Saturday 18 February
​Hindley Street Music Hall | Adelaide, SA
​18+
​moshtix.com.au

Sunday 19 February
​Metro City | Perth, WA
​18+
​megatix.com.au

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Gig ReviewsReviews
February 11, 2023
Emily White

[Review] City and Colour @ Forum Theatre, Melbourne 09/02/2023

It’s been seven long years since Canadian, alt-rock singer-songwriter Dallas Green last graced Australian shores, and it was no wonder his one-night-only at The Forum was filled to the brink. Being recognisable to Aussie audiences for his solo venture City and Colour, this was set to be a triumphant return – a night of some of the strongest rock instrumentals layered with signature heart-wrenching lyricism.

Dallas’ audiences are unmistakable. Humble and kind, yet visibly so passionate about the music. Entering the space felt safe, calm and familiar – quite abnormal for a rock show – with the buzz of individuals reconnecting over a shared love of live music, and a heavy passion for rock.

Many artists on a solo venture will try to distance themselves from their past, but having Dooms Children open the show was the perfect decision. Old bandmate and much loved ‘brother’ Wade MacNeil’s solo project is heavy psychedelia, with a hint of blues and hard-hitting lyricism – and the crowd adored it.

As the five-piece band of old rockers entered the stage, you could tell they’d been here before. The quiet confidence, steady beat, and emotive guitar riffs felt grounded and calming, before suddenly being hit with a surge of husky vocals chanting haunting lyrics. The entire set boasted a highly cinematic feel – with the broad emotions of band being easily read, and exceedingly relatable.

Dooms Children’s set closely mimicked being pulled under vicious waves, for every time you’d come up for air, an entirely new and consuming sound would follow. There was something so fresh about the psychedelic feel of the contrasting sounds between the instruments; and the dimly lit, slow moving spotlights and smoke added to the dazed and confused sensation that followed the songs.

Psyche Hospital Blues was a standout, with distorted keys and mumbled vocals creating the signature psychedelic sound. Each individual instrument could be heard and stood perfectly alone, but when brought together with the band created something totally moving. The whole set connected perfectly like one long film.

Following was several songs from the breakout, self-titled album. Skeleton Beach, a calm and melodic tune showcased some gorgeous harmonies, whilst Wade worked the crowd to the palm of his hand – smirking proudly as the lyrics were being sung out with such passion. Friend of the Devil closed out the set, filled with recognisable descending scales, creating a sense of security before throwing the crowd off with ambiguous, seemingly random notes and lyrics. ‘A friend of the devil is a friend of mine’ being chanted repetitively, with steadily increasing tempo backing the drawn-out rock jam. Being so brazenly comfortable with his guitar and his vocals, Dooms Children is sure to be a talking point throughout the rock community for years to come.

The tension was palpable as The Forum drew quiet, craving the main act of the night, City and Colour.  With the backing band returning, front man Dallas Green made his humble beginning, with ‘thanks for being here’ being the only words needed – as the music to come would speak for itself.

Kicking off with Meant to Be, the slow-moving autumn colours paired with acoustic guitar and sublime vocals – the crowd enthralled. From the outset Dallas’ vocal range was astonishing, the voice that has cemented him as one of the greats of rock music. The song’s intensity increased steadily, mimicking a heavy heartbeat and directing the unconscious movement of the crowd. 

Moving uninterrupted from one song to the next, Living in Lightning was paired with an enchanting ceiling of purple light, fitting for the slow and steady beat, overlays of gorgeous bass riffs, and heavy ringing electric guitar. Hypnotic, repetitive keys moved steadily into his next song. ‘When I think of fates worse than death, all I can think of was something you said’, Thirst details an intimate relationship, and the vulnerabilities in self-criticism. This universal feeling could be seen on the faces of the band as they put their heart and soul into the jarring, heavy rock ballad.

The music never ceased, as the band rolled into the sultry, bass-driven fan-favourite, Northern Blues. A complete drop of light between verse and chorus providing a visual representation of the lyrics. Strangers was the point of the night where it was clear the audience were becoming totally immersed in the music, almost hypnotised by the synchronicity of the band. Every hit of the kick drum prompting the crowd’s uninhibited movement. 

After a half hour of interminable music, Dallas took to the mic to address the crowd. ‘This song is about trying to be kinder to each other’… his message is clear, nothing further needed to be said. We Found Each Other in the Dark was angelic, and a highlight of the evening.

A complete change of pace came with the emotionally charged, guitar heavy, Weightless. Paired with piercing red strobe, the ironic weight of the song rocked the venue with such velocity, building towards an abrupt blackout. ‘I’m tired of everyone saying I’m this sad motherfucker… I’m just singing about what’s real’ – These words reigned so true as Hello, I’m in Delaware provided a moving commentary on fame and living life on the road. The emotion of Dallas’ music is not only drawn from the content of his lyrics, but in the authenticity they are delivered with.

Drawing towards the end of the set, Underground, the band’s latest record was welcomed with great reception. A new sound for the group, being highly layered and multidimensional, filled the room with a fresh, uplifted impression. A change of pace, Sorrowing Man packed with intimate jams left the crowd without a word, but with the hum of a final note ringing out – there was a thirst for more as the band departed the stage.

When City and Colour returned moments later for a generous encore, the energy hit a new high with the crowd suddenly surging forward, being drawn into the final songs of the night like a moth to a flame. The mainly acoustic encore provided space for the fans to sing side-by-side with the band. Comin’ Home and The Girl were highly nostalgic and imprinted on the hearts of his fans, as evident in every word and harmony that bounced from Dallas to the crowd, and then came bounding right back at him.

The stage lit up for the final song, the audience in clear view of the band. Sleeping Sickness left us with what did not feel like a ‘goodbye’, but a ‘see you soon’. A beautiful way of sending out what had been a breathtaking night. Above all else, the superb lyricism and lighting, and the adoring sea of fans – this night was about the music, which can only be described as perfect.

You can still catch City and Colour one more time for this tour in Brisbane.

Monday 13th Feb 2023 @ The Tivoli, Brisbane

Tickets available here

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