Loving live music isn’t just about attending music festivals and seeing an international artist’s massive arena show. Even the biggest of big-name headliners started in the trenches, on the sticky carpets and bandrooms of your local bars and pubs – which is exactly where you should be if you want to discover your new favourite band or venue. Here’s our picks for this week’s best local gigs from Aussie talent – from Perth to the East Coast – and all for the price of a good meal.
Fan Girl
Where? The Curtin 29 Lygon St, Melbourne
When? 8:30pm, Thursday 19th May
Why? It isn’t often that a bands first show gets us seriously excited. After only a couple of weeks on the scene Fan Girl have amassed an eerie buzz, dropping their first crispy single back to back with a jarringly epileptic video. Now the boys from Melbourne are loosing their live virginity at The Curtin with local legends The Sand Dollars, fresh out of the studio for 2016. Fresh tunes and an old favourites together at last, the perfect jumpstart for a mammoth weekend.
Tickets & Info: $8, Facebook
A Day of Clarity
Where? Crown and Anchor, The Exeter, The Producers, Rhino Room, Clarity Records, Adelaide
When? 2pm, Saturday 21st May
Why? The Adelaide mini festival so good they’re doing it again! Celebrating 6 years of Clarity Records this gargantuan collection of local talent is spilling out the front doors and into Adelaide’s east end. Championing the time honoured record store and independent music industry Clarity hope to represent the best talent Adelaide and Australia has to offer, across 10 stages at 5 venues with more than 40 artists. Best of all, it’s free! Support your local scene and get down to your nearest stage for some cracking independent bands.
Tickets & Info: FREE, Facebook
Slim Jeffries
Where? Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar 238 Victoria St, Melbourne
When? 7:30pm, Friday 20th May
Why? After a spate of red hot shows and a comfortable stint atop the Unearthed punk charts, Melbourne mad-men Slim Jeffries are clearly building to something big. What it is we don’t know but for 10 bucks we’d definitely take the opportunity to see this newly minted and exceptionally mint 5 piece before they blow up. In the immortal words of Facebook “Clear your calendar and bring your colander because this sucker is going to be al dente.”
Tickets & Info: $10, Facebook
Forevr
Where? The Bearded Lady 138 Boundary St, West End, Brisbane
When? 7pm, Saturday 21st May
Why? In the interest of keeping this Saturday as lush as possible Brissie locals FOREVR have bundled together a collection of to finest chillers The Bearded Lady has ever seen! Hypnotic shoegaze meets crystal castles in the blissful sets of FOREVR but alas this is their last show as a two piece, paving the way for what we can only speculate is an increase in their buttery eclecticism. Don’t forget support from Sydney2000, Yucca and Pull-Out Kings for four times the party vibes.
Tickets & Info: $10, Facebook
Bikini Cops
Where? Cherry Bar AC/DC Lane, Melbourne
When? 8pm, Saturday 21st May
Why? Itching for a dose of crisp pints, sweaty moshing and old school punk? Cherry has come through with the goods this Saturday night. The powerful Bikini Cops lead this hard drinking trifecta of good times punk rock, slogging it over from Perth to bring you the best of their 70’s surf punk sound. Backed up by the Dumb Punts (with a C), releasing a new 7”, and the laid back motorbike rock of Oily Doyley this is definitely the best place to sink tins this weekend.
Tickets & Info: $10, Facebook
Midnight Pool Party
Where? Oxford Art Factory 46 Oxford St, Sydney
When? 10pm, Friday 20th May
Why? Slaving away in the studio can leave a band bug eyed and begging for time on the stage. An insanely well practiced Midnight Pool Party have broken out of the studio in the lead up to their debut EP, treating local audiences to a little taste of their fresh new sound. A night of electro-pop goodness awaits for die hard disco addicts, with floor pounding support form local producers Falqo, Tashka and DJ Ardie.
Tickets & Info: $10, Facebook
Elli Schoen
Where? The Bird 181 William St, Perth
When? 8pm, Friday 20th May
Why? If there’s one thing Australia’s music scene needs more of it’s genuinely talented indie folk artists like Elli Schoen. Riding the wave of praise for her recent video Hard Heart, Elli is hosting a sneaky soirée with good mate/voodoo blues enthusiast Dan Howler and fierce indie-folk songsmith Xanthea. Dig in at The Bird for a polished evening of soaring melancholy and grand melody that feels just like an intimate show with old friends.
Tickets & Info: $5, Facebook
Sienna Wild
Where? Cherry Bar AC/DC Lane, Melbourne
When? 8pm, Tuesday 17th May
Why? Continuing their blazing rock and roll spree Sienna Wild return to Cherry Bar tonight for their Tuesday residency. After a cracking night last week it’s safe to say these raucous rockers will finish out this month in fine form, especially with support from hidden rock talents The Romeo Knights and Pockets. Free entry? Cold bevs? Mint tunes? Pretty reasonable Tuesday night if you ask me.
Tickets & Info: FREE, Facebook
