The Underground Stage
“Isla Ka have got this totally bonkers balance going on. I’m struggling to describe it. It’s like a gentle foghorn. There’s so much muscle and sinew in the songs and the vocal, but it’s simultaneously like a warm blanket, a pint of scotch, and a roaring fire. I could bask in this for days.” Facebook […]
“Goodnight Japan totally remind me of eight or nine bands that I bloody love, but I can’t quite pin it down. There’s some National in there. There’s some Velvets. There’s a rich seam of dark and wonderful art. It’s serious-face time, and it’s smarter than both of us put together. Oh yeah, I’m really liking […]
“Madam Wong ARE EVERYTHING I WANTED TONIGHT. Seriously, there are Cheshire Cats with smaller grins than me right now. Fast, funny, bags of song, and all wrapped up in the perfect three-piece format. I’m so pathetically grateful for them tonight I could weep.” Facebook | Instagram
“Raave Tapes are one of the most pleasurable bands to watch for two big, hairy reasons – one, that they continually insist everyone be nice to each other and two, that they are just as fun as a sackful of monkeys. Insistent, plaintive, relentless and equal parts squall and boogie. All your Saturday nights at […]
“Candy is aka Calum Newton off of Lunatics On Pogosticks, and this new project is him flying solo – and he’s working without a net, guitars and squidgy synths, channeling both PiL-era Lydon and the best bits of Australian jangle. It’s smooth and full of groove, but it’s got pupils so wide you just know […]
“e4444e has got a *mean* line in melancholy electronica, atmospheric and vaguely upsetting. It’s *super* creative – like Bjork and Pavement and Saint Etienne all smashed up and slightly sad. Challenging but really lovely with it.” Facebook | Instagram
“It’s always such fun to write about Wawawow, essentially an exercise in thinking of fitting descriptors. Tonight’s selection will include “burbling”, “goon-eyed”, “demented”, “thrusting”, “retina-melting”, and “likely to cause a seizure”. Inventive lunacy for astronauts.” Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
“Let’s be honest – Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have a terrible, terrible name, one of the all-time worst, one so bad I considered skipping the set on pure, grumpy principle. Glad I didn’t though – it turns out that if you only refer to them as “PPC” in your head it’s a lot easier to appreciate […]
“Bec Sandridge crashes into the (fabulously) filthy Lansdowne like a disco fairy riding a Harley, a searing pop supernova to scour the eyeballs and tear up the floors. Darkness is banished, only joy remains, and the walls are left glistening with what may be sweat and beer, but also looks like pixie dust and starlight.”