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.
LANKS
Where? The Grace Darling, 114 Smith St, Collingwood, Melbourne
When? 8:30pm, Wednesday 20th August
Why? We’re pretty big fanboys/girls for multi-instrumentalist LANKS and his lush tunes, and after you’ve dug his debut Thousand Piece Puzzle EP, we’re sure you will be too. Then you’ve got the perfect excuse to check the Melbourne talent out live in his hometown tomorrow night as part of his current residency at The Grace Darling. With swirling textures and vocal layers (take a spin of ‘Rises And Falls‘, for example), he’ll be bringing his web of sounds to life before your very ears, for a thrifty 10 clams. Joining LANKS this week, and sweetening the deal, will be the electronic-shaded indie pop of Big Creature; if you need a taster – try the trio’s ‘One In Front Of The Other‘.
Tickets & Info: $10 www.facebook.com & thegracedarlinghotel.com.au
The Pretty Littles
Where? The Standard Bowl Sydney, 383 Bourke St, Surry Hills
When? 8:30pm, Saturday 23rd August
Why? It’s been a little while since we’ve heard from rock larrakins The Pretty Littles, but they’ve got the perfect excuse for their absence: being hard at work on new material. The result is their killer new tune, ‘Tegan Victoria‘, and they’ll be christening their raucous new baby in Sydney, with a gig at The Standard Bowl this weekend. The best part? It’s free to attend – meaning you’ve got some funds to spend on knocking down a few pins on the lanes while you enjoy their new setlist. Local mates Callithump will be on hand to warm up the punters with their reggae-fied rock. Saturday sorted.
Tickets & Info: FREE theprettylittles.com/gigs.
Collarbones & Black Vanilla
Where? Rocket Bar & Rooftop, 142 Hindley Street, Adelaide
When? 9pm, Friday 22nd August
Why? Putting the rad in Adelaide (the ‘r’ is silent) this Friday night at Rocket’s Cats club is cross-country electronic duo Collarbones, who are sporting a whole new record’s worth of tracks, including the delightful 90s house throwback that is ‘Turning’. Not only that but they’re teaming up with fresh faced crew, Black Vanilla; makes total sense – the trio comprises Collarbones’ own sensually-voiced Marcus Whale, along with talented producer Guerre and Marseilles’ Jareed Beeler. Check out their ‘name your price’ self-titled EP if you want to get all the grooves down pat before you hit the floor to finish your week.
Tickets & Info: $10 crippenplace.com/rocket-bar & www.facebook.com
Soda Eaves w/ Sunbeam Sound Machine & Ciggie Witch
Where? The Old Bar, 74-76 Johnston St, Fitzroy, Melbourne
When? 8:30pm, Wednesday 20th August
Why? If you’re in ol’ Melbourne town this week, here’s the perfect salve to get you over the business-end of humpday: a great mix of guitar rock in three tasty varieties. First off the ranks is Soda Eaves (the solo project of Hot Palms’ Jake Core) who dropped his debut album Like Drapes Either Sides this month, filled with eerie-fuzz jams and accented arch vocals, like ‘Doll‘. He’s perfectly complemented at his Old Bar takeover this week by Sunbeam Sound Machine – the ‘Cosmic Love Affair’-makers operating in solo mode, and Ciggie Witch’s sophisticated dolewave(ish) ditties, like ‘Long Weekend‘. At $2 per band, this is a no-brainer trifecta.
Tickets & Info: $6 www.facebook.com & www.theoldbar.com.au
Basenji & Tincture
Where? elsewhere, 23 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paraidse, Queensland
When? 9pm, Friday 22nd August
Why? Queenslanders will be treated to Basenji’s semi-bangers and the delightfully restrained Tincture to end their week. These two homegrown production wizards are actually leading a whole night of cultivated beat-makers as part of the LILT series; a “welcomed invasion of all senses” that combines bands with visual artists at the elsewhere club (small ‘e’ please) in Surfers. This week’s edition (the fourth), will also feature a live set from YUMO and VJ-ing visualist ATLASt. There’s even a free mixtape to get you in the mood for this enticing end-of-week show.
Tickets & Info: Free www.facebook.com
The Ocean Party
Where? The Imperial Hotel, 35 Erskineville Road, Newtown, NSW
When? Friday 22nd August
Why? They may be long-held Melbourne favourites, but The Ocean Party are bringing their brilliant new track ‘Wading In’ – think Triffids/Go-Betweens quality – to Sydneysiders in a cheap as chips gathering this Friday. The five-piece are headlining the latest in the Circle Jerk series, a regular live music showcase presented by the folks over at Polaroids In Androids. Joining The Ocean Party will be lo-fi garage group Disgusting People (their no-budget clip for ‘Ctrl Alt Delete‘ is a must-watch), Polyfox and the Union of the Most Ghosts, Sadfaces – in their first gig of 2014, and opening proceedings, Melbourne’s Cool Sounds – who recently dropped their new wavy, whimsical track, ‘666‘. Trust us, don’t waste your money on an average meal this Friday, dine on this Newtown selection instead.
Tickets & Info: $12 www.facebook.com
Heavy Set Mini-Fest
Where? The Catfish, 30-32 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Melbourne
When? 6pm, Thursday 21st August
Why? Don’t let the title fool you, Melbournians – Heavy Set isn’t a bunch of hard-rocking acts but instead a gathering of electronic acts squaring off against visual artists, with an extra emphasis on non-wallet breaking goodness. Headlining will be Fatti Frances, offering “wonky doom-like bass” and “assaulting RnB”, the dreamily-named (and sounding) Premium Fantasy, and noisy Fitzroy footwork-ists Orlando Furious. But we’re particularly excited by the presence of lush-tronica maker, The Townhouses “versus” the equally refined The Atlas Room – we’re thinking it’ll be less of a fight and more of an awesome excuse to get your ‘Thank God It’s Friday’ celebrations started a day earlier. Your crisp $10 note also gets you sets from Kell Ua, Glow/Sing, and Halogen Lake. Mint!
Tickets & Info: $10 www.facebook.com
Curtis McEntee w/ Kat Wilson & The Insatiables
Where? Ya-Yas, 147 James Street, Hurstbridge, Perth
When? 8pm, Friday 22nd August
Why? Hey Perth, guess what? Cancel those ‘stay at home’ plans this Friday and instead go support a triple-threat of local talent. Curtis McEntee is the brains behind this operation, gathering two more WA songsmiths under the banner of his Sea Legs tour – which will see all three celebrating the launch of their newly-minted debut EP releases. Along with being ushered into McEntee’s introspective music world (‘I Was Made For Loving You‘ is an inviting entry-point), you’ll also get a dose of dirty coastal blues and haunting melodies from Kat Wilson (try on ‘Oceans‘), and some atmospheric alt-rock from The Insatiables (performing tunes from their ‘Let Go Of Limbo‘ EP).
Tickets & Info: $10 ya-yas.com.au & www.facebook.com
