Most of the way through a gigantic and largely sold out national tour, one that started with barely any breathing room between the release of their outrageously good debut album Alright Already, you might have forgiven Sydney duo Polish Club for showing up in the city of the Brown Snake with less than peak energy levels.
If you showed up to their sold out set at The Foundry late last week and watched them tear down the stage you’d know that’s not how Polish Club do business though.
Locals Feuds warm up the early crowd with a set full of beautiful slow-burners that build to huge-riffed crescendos and Maddy Jane all the way from Tasmania keeps the pace impeccably, a soulful cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams one of the highlights of her set.
With the Foundry crowd sandwiching themselves into every area of breathable space between the stage and the bar, Novak and John take the stage and proceed to burn it to the ground. Fiery newies Where U Been? and Shark Attack! as well as old toe-tappers Did Somebody Tell Me and My House. I’m only 90% sure they even managed to squeeze all those in, (the whole set such a beautifully blurred-lines boogie that I may be simply adding to the Polish Club myth in my head), nonetheless their new material blended effortlessly with the old from the start.
Original ballad Don’t Fuck Me Over incites one of the first of many singalongs, the slower songs spaced out across the set to wonderful effect. Lighter-waver Divided later on is another that showcases Novak’s second–to-very-fucking-few talents, possessing the Giannis Antetokounmpo edition of vocal wingspans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bny5sidTGBY
Not just a singer either, Novak and drummer John bounce off each other hilariously onstage. They fire shots directly into the maroon heart of Brisbane (“This isn’t my own personal opinion, but FUCK THE BRONCOS” and “The Brisbane Roar? That’s not even a mascot, your team is named after a sound”) and play the Sydney heels like they were born to do it.
They redeem themselves in the Sunshine State pretty quickly though with a chest-beating cover of Like A Dog that would have a single tear running down each member of Powderfinger’s cheeks even with a few ad-hoc lyrics thrown in here and there.
It’s pure bedlam for Alright Already’s first pair of singles in Come Party and Beat Up, same doubly so for frenetic signature tune Beeping. Somewhere out there the vaguely threatening Polish Club fan got goosebumps as the boys tore through the tempo-shifting rollercoaster of If It Was Me, the drunken swagger of Broke another highlight in a show bursting with them.
They promise they’ll finish with another cover after bringing the house down with Able and (as much as I was hoping they’d finally embrace their calling as Twobastank (the two-piece Hoobastank tribute band), they do just that with a disgustingly good rendition of their Like A Version debut from earlier in the year; Flume’s Never Be Like You in a stomping blues arrangement that’s so good it makes the original sound as lifeless as New South Wales’ State Of Origin efforts in the last 15 years by comparison.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r44qJ8AooWE
There are few musical experiences more joyous than a Polish Club show in 2017. Fun, carefree and loud, my ears rang for the rest of the next day and when I’m having to get my grandchildren to yell everything at me because of my crippling tinnitus in a few decades I’ll remember this night (and then give them a highly exaggerated and long-winded tale of it while they groan inwardly).
The duo’s energy is relentless and hopelessly infectious from curtain-raiser to finish and Alright Already’s journey from studio to stage has been kept simple and crushingly effective. There might be no band less likely to mail a show in right now than Polish Club, they’ve brought the heat live consistently since their beginnings as a band and tonight was no exception.
It’s time to get these two on a major festival bill somewhere, for the love of Bernard Fanning.
Image: Tone Deaf
When I first heard Sydney duo Polish Club, the raw, unbridled energy of their first EP blaring into my ears, I knew they’d quickly cement themselves as one of my favourite bands of the modern era. Rock and fucking roll is all they know and they do it so simply and so, so well.
After two years of near-constant touring together and laying a foundation as a band off some of the most fun singles any Australian band has released in the last decade as well as the aforementioned stomper of an EP, Polish Club have officially arrived today with the release of their debut longplayer Alright Already.
They’re not here to fuck spiders.
Interviewing frontman (and owner of one of the best set of pipes you’ll ever be fortunate enough to hear) Novak a few weeks ago, he talked about how this record was going to represent the complete Polish Club sound, something we hadn’t seen or heard on their party-centric anthems thus far.
From opening salvo Where U Been though we get warm, familiar Polish Club. The Polish Club who take rock and roll with an old soul and transplant it so effortlessly into the modern era. It crashes like an old Hives song, vintage guitars and belting drums and Novak’s near-inimitable howl grabbing you by the throat.
The pace doesn’t slow once sophomore single Come Party kicks in either. And it kicks the fuck in, you can already hear the chorus of “Have fun later, come party with me” being absolutely bellowed back at the duo by a crowd going apeshit. Drummer John shines brightest on these fast-paced tracks, Novak might be the focal point but John is the boiler room working to within an inch of his life to keep all that raw energy focused and steaming ahead.
And then it happens on the third track. Where the unstoppable freight train of Beeping was the first Polish Club tune I ever heard, it was actually the slow-burning anthem Able from that first EP that sat me bolt upright (both have been subtly tweaked and re-released on Alright Already) and third track If It Was Me had the exact same effect.
This is the most complete Polish Club song there ever was. A stomping guitar riff, punishingly deliberate percussion, a beautiful build to the chorus. The pace might be slowed but it still absolutely bangs. And then, just when you think you know the answers, the boys change the questions, a jangly guitar slices through the smoke and the song goes into that utter chaotic overdrive every fan has come to know and love. It’s so spinetinglingly good, you can almost understand why one punter threatened the band if they didn’t put it on this album.
First single Beat Up follows and is a roaring delight, a muted riff climbing up to a euphoric chorus, the build up to the crescendo just masterful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHhysr6q1Qo
And then we dial it back down for the sublime Why Should I. Goddamnit, go and sit yourself down and listen to this. Listen to that “Yeah” that erupts from the deepest part of Novak’s very soul and soars across the sky like a phoenix to kick off every chorus. They might be the best yeahs in the history of yeahs ever uttered. These yeahs will put hair on your chest. If these yeahs were a day of the week they’d be Friday at knock-off with a cold beer ready to go. The chord progression across the chorus is crack cocaine good too. I listened to Why Should I three weeks ago for the first time and I’ve been stuck in the AntonioBanderasStoked.gif position ever since, please help.
It’s five tracks in and I already need a cigarette and someone to hold me.
The throwback surfy vibes of Watchuknow are as boogie-inducing as you’ll find on the record, as is what should be a live staple for when Polish Club want people in their moshpit to lose limbs in the outrageously frenetic Shark Attack!
How To Be Alone is another ballad, one that throws you back to The Skyliners playing in an old diner while you and your best girl get a milkshake and a burger and one that allows Novak’s voice ample room to shine. His phenomenal vocal talents are omnipresent throughout the entire album, but they often get caught up in the racket around him and your mind can’t really work fast enough to truly appreciate it. Not here, here it fucking hits the stratosphere.
The bluesy sway of Broke is another ripper, the riff scuttling back and forwards with the backbeat like a pair of drunken crabs in a knife fight. Divided is a certifiable lighter-waver as we near the end of the record, climbing up a winding staircase and then free-falling off of it for penultimate track My Delight¸ a slightly folky, hand-clap heavy party tune.
There’s a cover of Red River Rock to end proceedings, an instrumental standard from Johnny And The Hurricanes, backed by a polka band (probably an homage to everyone who has ever tried to Google ‘Polish Club’ and been given a list of actual clubs for Polish people) and Alright Already is in the books.
I’m hitting repeat immediately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4GiRFZW8B0
This is the kind of debut record every band should have. Not just a satisfying realisation of all the hype but taking the foundation they’ve laid for two years and planting a tower on it. This is one of the best pure rock and roll records I’ve heard since Royal Headache’s self-titled and if Polish Club don’t find themselves in the ‘national treasure’ echelon of Australian acts like Soho and Dune Rats very soon I’ll be surprised.
Most of all, this is a record that just makes you feel good. In part because of the beautifully simple yet head-kickingly effective sound they’ve near perfected but also because of the palpable fun you can hear both Novak and John having as they play. It bodes incredibly well for their upcoming national tour (which you should sell your mother’s soul to attend while there’s still sitting room on the bandwagon) as well as whatever the future holds for Polish Club.
We hope it’s a dozen more albums just as fantastic as Alright Already.
Alright Already is out now
Image: Effusive Magazine
They’re one of the loudest, rawest and most exciting new bands in the country and Sydney’s Polish Club are out to make one hell of a first impression with their debut album Alright Already landing tomorrow. If you’ve never heard them before, it’s like they’ve taken the DeLorean back to 1955 and dragged rock and roll kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
We spoke to all round great bloke frontman Novak, who’s gearing up for the LP’s release as well as a mammoth national tour to support it.
Good to talk to you again Novak. We last spoke to you around this time last year at The Blurst Of Times festival here in Brisbane, how have the last 12 months been for you and for Polish Club?
Pretty good man! We’ve just been gigging a lot and we finally got of our asses and finished our album, it’s super exciting.
That album is Alright Already, any nerves around releasing your very first album?
No not really. Relief really is all I’m feeling because it’s been a bit of a long slog and Jon (drums) and I don’t like to ponder things too long and it’s just nice to get that monkey off our back and release 14 songs, the majority of which people haven’t heard before. I’m just super excited to see people’s reactions.
The first two singles you’ve definitely had a very positive reaction to, that’s Beat Up and Come Party that are banging songs and have both been incredibly well-received. What else can we expect from your debut?
We’re trying to showcase both sides of Polish Club, which we haven’t really done with our singles thus far. There’s probably a few more slower, more emotional songs on the album than people would expect. I think anyone who’s seen us live has seen that side but recorded maybe not so I think it’s a nice summation of where we are as a band right now and hopefully people will be somewhat surprised by what comes out and I hope they’ll like it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4GiRFZW8B0
Did you find there was much pressure going into recording this album as your first to make a solid first debut or did you feel like it was a clean slate to work on?
You always want to do it right because you only ever get one chance to make a first album. Jon and I were just so stoked that we even got to this point that nerves were never really much of an issue and any pressure that we had would be from ourselves. I think because we’ve played so many shows that we’re really confident with what we’re doing and the music that we’re writing and how best to represent that in recorded form.
It just feels like a good representation of where we are now and it’s been surprisingly easy to come to the decision of what that should be and we’re super happy with the result.
When we spoke to you last you had started recording this album over in Los Angeles to start recording this album, where did you finish the recording process?
We actually ended up recording it in Leichhardt here in Sydney. I think the whole LA experience was super valuable for us because it was so early on in the game where Jon and I didn’t really know how we best work together and what atmosphere we recorded best in. So we came back home and listened to what we had and it wasn’t bad by any means but it just wasn’t representative of us. We went in to do some demos in Sydney and they sounded almost good enough to release, so we thought, why don’t we just do it here in Sydney and see how that sounds and it came up amazingly.
We did the entire album just around the corner from where I am now with Wade from Wolf And Cub and it just sounds awesome and immediate and like we were just playing it in a room so we’re super happy.
Speaking of immediacy, I read that you guys like to keep it fairly true to what we’re going to hear when you play those songs onstage. Does that create any difficulties when you’re writing and putting together songs and reconciling what you want to do with what you actually can do onstage as a two-piece?
Not at all. The whole band came about as a result of no restrictions. We just locked ourselves in a room with one guitar and drums and just vocals and nothing really has changed. We fill in the gaps where we need to but my general rule is that I’m never gonna add anything in the studio that people are going to be missing live. You don’t want people to show up and go “hey, where’s that riff?” or that line or melody that was on that recorded track.
It’s very much a conscious thing and also a really comfortable thing when we go into the studio to do it as close to live as possible because that’s A. how we write the songs and B. how we play it live and hopefully we can stay true to that.
Have you road tested any of the new songs and if you have what’s been the response so far?
Yeah we’ve actually played a few of them for a while now because our set is a mish-mash of old and brand new songs that we’ve been playing on the road for the past few months. *Laughs* There was actually one guy who came up to me after a show and was like “Hey mate. First of all, when’s your album coming out? And second of all, you better fucking tell me If It Was Me is on there” and I was just like “yeah man that’s fine don’t worry about it”. It was kind of threatening, which is worrying *laughs*
You’re heading out again to see your hopefully non-threatening fans on a national tour around Australia. I last saw you play here for BIGSOUND last year and you guys must have played probably the most euphoric cover of Powderfinger’s Baby I Got You On My Mind in history-
*Laughs* Jon’s got this obsession with playing local songs at every gig we go to but we’ve only really managed to do it in Melbourne and Brisbane. We played Baby I Got You On My Mind at a show with Northeast Party House and it was actually a show at The Triffid, which is hilarious because it’s owned by the bassist from Powderfinger and we were playing it during soundcheck and the sound guy was like “hey man, just an FYI but the owner has banned people from playing Powderfinger covers here” and we were like, yeah cool cool.
We played it anyway and the crowd fucking loved it. Those people in Brisbane love them some fuckin’ Powderfinger.
Hopefully you continue with that trend of local covers. If we’re on the subject I’d put my vote in for a Savage Garden cover in Brisbane, your forebears as a duo, you gave them a shout out the other day I saw.
The best two-piece band in Australian history, yeah. I think it’s only a matter of time before we do Truly Madly Deeply, I think we’re just trying to figure out the instrumentation for it.
Would definitely reflect that other side to Polish Club you mentioned.
Amen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHhysr6q1Qo
Talking of your live shows, I don’t think I’ve ever been to one that didn’t just devolve into an all out dance party. Have you guys ever played a show where the crowd just hasn’t responded at all?
Yes, we have. We played a show in Ballarat *laughs* where we were the support band. There were quite a few people there but we weren’t really supporting a rock band and people weren’t super into it, but I don’t mind that, I actually quite enjoy the struggle of trying to win over a band and trying to convince them that I’m worth their time. My issue with that show though was that they were just so despondent that I couldn’t even provoke a negative reaction from them. I started dropping insults and just trying to gauge the crowd and make something happen but I got nothing.
I’m a big fan of hard crowds where they’re just aggressive but when they just give you nothing like that it’s a bit of a struggle. Fortunately it hasn’t happened too often but I definitely look forward to the next challenge when it does happen.
Going toe-to-toe with Ballarat again.
Amen! I’m starting a war with Ballarat, how ’bout that?
Your move, Ballarat. When we last spoke to you, you in particular were quite vocal on Sydney’s lockout laws. I noticed you had some things to say the other day on Sydney’s iconic Newtown Social Club closing down. As someone not from that area, can you tell me if the situation has improved at all or is it just getting worse?
No. No improvement whatsoever. We were hoping with the new Premier that there might be some sort of review of the lockout laws but one of the first things Gladys said when she took over was that she was pretty happy with where the lockout laws are. What we’re seeing with the closure of Newtown Social Club is that things are only going to get worse.
We sold out Newtown Social a couple of months ago and they have a long history of selling out amazing shows with amazing artists, a lot of whom are Australian, and I’m just absolutely baffled that this venue, which I think has the best sound in Sydney and sells out all these shows, is struggling to keep itself alive. It’s definitely a reflection of the community’s feelings towards live music. I don’t think it’s popular at all here and if it is then usually it’s more of a club thing.
I don’t see it getting better and I don’t have any answers to it but I think it’s something that should be on people’s radars and if you feel that there’s something that needs to be done, there’s more you can do than simply post a status on Facebook.
It’s hard when you feel like the whole city’s against you.
Polish Club have just celebrated two years of making music together. Do you have any idea what you might be doing if the whole rock and roll thing hadn’t taken off?
I would probably have a lot more money and a steady job. Jon would be a lot less stressed because he still has a day job and a lot of other spinning plates. We’d probably be much more balanced individuals but we wouldn’t be having nearly as much fun *laughs*. We’re very thankful that we’re still in a band. The only aim has ever been to sustain it and that’s still our only aim. To be there in five years’ time to be able to say ‘I’m in a band and that’s all I do’ and we’re still working towards that.
Fingers crossed for you guys, what about shorter-term goals for the rest of the year beyond surviving this national tour?
We just wanna keep releasing music. I think as soon as this album’s out we’re going to be looking towards the next stage. We want to be productive. We don’t want to rest on what we’ve released, we want to have some kind of constant output if we can. We’re not gonna be fuckin’ King Gizzard and release a million albums in five days but I know Jon’s already thinking of the next thing we can do so something will come up soon I’m sure.
Alright Already is out Friday, March 31.
Alright Already Tour Dates:
Fri 5 May – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Sat 6 May – Narara Festival, Kariong
Thu 11 May – Small Ballroom, Newcastle
Fri 12 May – Rad Bar, Wollongong
Sat 13 May – Republic Bar, Hobart
Fri 19 May – Rocket Bar, Adelaide
Sat 20 May – Amplifier, Perth
Thu 25 May – The Foundry, Brisbane
Fri 26 May – Elsewhere, Gold Coast
Sat 27 May – Big Pineapple Festival, Woombye
Thu 1 Jun – The Transit Bar, Canberra
Fri 2 Jun – Workers Club, Geelong
Sat 3 Jun – The Corner, Melbourne
Image: Music Feeds
Sydney noisemakers Polish Club are a duo whose star is well on the rise. Their ferocious, zero-frills rock and roll has delighted crowds around the country since they first exploded out of the gate with belters like Beeping and Did Somebody Tell Me. They give off heady fumes of early Kings Of Leon (before they all made deals with the devil) and The White Stripes and their throwback sound had fans clamouring for more immediately.
With their own debut longplayer just a few short weeks away, we asked the boys to name three albums from history that have changed their lives. To that end, throat shredding frontman Novak responded with:
Hoobastank – Hoobastank
Full disclosure, I was balls deep into nu-metal. I was at the perfect age and was enough of a lame-ass to truly believe that this was the best that music had to offer. I counted the number of times Fred Durst said ‘fuck’ in Hot Dog, I learned every word that Mike Shinoda spat out in Linkin Park’s verses and I conveniently ignored that P.O.D. was a Christian band. I’m completely at peace with all of this, but I will never forgive myself for thinking Hoobastank were the new Beatles.
“Oh it’s so great that an Asian frontman is being so badass,” I thought. They completely reflected the angst that a privileged 12-year-old at a good school with no real daily issues had. The problem is that these are grown men, playing in a band called Hoobastank, making truly, truly awful music. I now forever take a solid dose of self-loathing with me wherever I go, and if I ever start to feel too good about myself, it’s always nice to remind myself that I can still not only sing, but play the entirety of Crawling In The Dark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOHxtOLfvIo
Smash Mouth – Astro Lounge
Somebody once told me the world was gonna roll me, and I’m a fucking idiot for doubting them. My problem is that I never, ever liked this song. I survived Shrek movie after Shrek movie and never even noticed Smash Mouth. But, as we all know, the years start coming and they don’t stop coming, and somehow Smash Mouth’s All Star has become the most relevant song in our lifetime.
Is it a meme? I don’t know. It’s exactly how I feel about Guy Fieri. He’s an asshole right? He’s ridiculous, how could you like him? And yet, I find myself actually making time to watch Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives and wishing we could hang out. So where does that leave Smash Mouth? Do I love them? Is it the greatest song ever? Am I joking? Who am I?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_jWHffIx5E
Venga Boys – Greatest Hits Volume 1
I used to have a stereo right next to my bed when I was a kid. Without fail, I would fall asleep to the dulcet tones of the Venga Bus. The goddamn Venga Bus. It’s one thing to remember the chorus to We Like To Party, but it’s another thing to remember Boom Boom Boom Boom, We’re Going To Ibiza and Superfly Slick Dick.
Here I am, a fully grown man in 2017, reciting the track list to the Venga Boys Greatest Hits Volume 1 (there was never a Volume 2).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zbi0XmGtMw
Alright Already is out March 31st.
Image: Rolling Stone
Sydney gruesome twosome Polish Club are up there among our favourite noisemakers in the game right now. Their debut EP in 2015 was a burst of raw rock and roll from a bygone era, huge riffs and crashing drums and grab-you-by-the-jugular hooks all sung in frontman Novak’s unmistakeable gravel-dragged voice. After touring relentlessly in 2016 and releasing another rip-roaring single in Beat It, the first from their debut longplayer, and now the duo are kicking off 2017 with a brand new tune, the concrete release date of their album and a national tour to celebrate it all.
Come Party is the second single from that aforementioned album, Alright Already, and it’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from Polish Club. Drummer John-Henry kicks things off in decidedly Ramones-y fashion, the accompanying riff chugging alongside like a bullet train and Novak wailing over the top about where ones priorities should lie as it pertains to a night out (“have fun later, come party with me”), surf punk vocal harmonies abound and the Hives-esque breakdown sure to have moshpits sweaty and surging. Check out the track with its music video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4GiRFZW8B0&feature=youtu.be
With Alright Already landing on the 31st of March, Polish Club are heading out on tour around the country with a truckload of new tunes. Their first headline tour sold right the fuck out in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Wollongong and the national audience for the duo is only set to skyrocket off the back of one of the most anticipated albums of the year. Tickets are on sale today via Polish Club’s website so hook in while you can.
Alright Already Tour Dates:
Fri 5 May – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Sat 6 May – Narara Festival, Kariong
Thu 11 May – Small Ballroom, Newcastle
Fri 12 May – Rad Bar, Wollongong
Sat 13 May – Republic Bar, Hobart
Fri 19 May – Rocket Bar, Adelaide
Sat 20 May – Amplifier, Perth
Thu 25 May – The Foundry, Brisbane
Fri 26 May – Elsewhere, Gold Coast
Sat 27 May – Big Pineapple Festival, Woombye
Thu 1 Jun – The Transit Bar, Canberra
Fri 2 Jun – Workers Club, Geelong
Sat 3 Jun – The Corner, Melbourne
Image: Supplied
It’s that time of year again: the denim jackets are peeled off, the BBQs begin to sizzle in backyards across Australia, and we’re suddenly hit with a veritable cornucopia of incredible music events to signal the march towards the end of the year. There are festivals being announced left right and centre, sure, but not all of us are wallet-endowed enough to skip from fest to fest just to catch our favourite acts for a paltry 30 minute set. Thank god for the Spring headline tour. But, you might say, there are so MANY tours being announced! I feel overwhelmed with choice – how can I make sure I won’t miss the best of the bunch? Shhh. We got you. Credit cards at the ready, fam, let’s dive into the creme de la creme of upcoming tours over the next few months.
NGAIIRE – Inside Blastoma tour
Ngaiire’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric and we are bloody stoked as hell about it. Her album Blastoma climed to #41 in the ARIA charts, #6 on the Urban charts, and is shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize. Ngaiire is fresh off touring with Listen Out festival, before that she absolutely SLAYED at Splendour in the Grass (I should know, I was there). She’s insanely talented, a phenomenal live performer, and even has Grimes‘ stamp of approval. Oh, and the incredible Woodes and Wallace are supporting. Literally what the hell other reason do you even need to pony up the dough and head along to her last headline tour of the year?
Tickets for Ngaiire on sale now via www.ngaiire.com.au
Fri 25 Nov | Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Fri 2 Dec | The Factory, Sydney
Fri 12 Dec | The Zoo, Brisbane
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYmbZkP3LfU]
Polish Club – Beat Up tour
I’ve been on the Polish Club train for a very long time now and it warms my heart to see that they are finally embarking on their very first headline tour. The thing about seeing Polish Club live is that you will feel very euphoric, then utterly confused as to how the fuck two people can make such a glorious racket, and then very euphoric again. You’ve probably heard their rock banger Beeping, because it climbed its way up into triple j’s 15 most played tracks for a while there. They played BIGSOUND this year and have racked up a laundry list of supports featuring music’s who’s who: Courtney Barnett, Northeast Party House, Gang Of Youths… it’s a little bit ridiculous actually. Oh, and they’re releasing their debut album next year. Why are they so talented? I bet you they’re really nice guys, too.
Tickets for Polish Club on sale now via www.polishclub.co
Sun 20 Nov | Long Jetty Street Festival, Central Coast
Fri 25 Nov | Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Sat 26 Nov | Great Northern, Byron Bay
Sat 10 Dec | RAD Bar, Wollongong
Thu 15 Dec | Karova Lounge, Ballarat
Fri 16 Dec | Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Sat 17 Dec | Newtown Social Club, Sydney
Horrorshow – If You Know What I Mean tour
This one has actually already kicked off, so if you’re a fan of not missing out on cool things then you might want to jump on tickets very, very quickly. Horrorshow are touring the country – yes Perth, you included! – in support of their super-tight track If You Know What I Mean. To add onto the pile of very good reasons to catch the Sydney duo, rapidly rising MC B Wise will be joining Solo and Adit across the run of dates. Watch the Harry Hunter/ENTROPICO (Hayden James, Touch Sensitive, The Meeting Tree) directed video for If You Know What I Mean below and get keeeeeen.
Tickets for Horrorshow on sale now via HORRORSHOW.COM
Wed 12 Oct | Transit Bar, Canberra
Thu 13 Oct | UOW Uni Bar, Wollongong
Fri 14 Oct | Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Sat 15 Oct | Factory Theatre, Sydney
Thu 20 Oct | Republic Bar, Hobart
Fri 21 Oct | Howler, Melbourne
Sun 23 Oct | The Gov, Adelaide
Thu 27 Oct | Mojos, Fremantle
Fri 28 Oct | Amplifier, Perth
Sat 29 Oct | Triffid, Brisbane
Sun 30 Oct | Sol Bar, Sunshine Coast
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rRAc7_Z4G4]
Julia Jacklin – Don’t Let The Kids Win tour
Julia Jacklin seemed to come out of frickin’ nowhere (although, of course, this is never the case) to dominate the back half of 2016. The accolades are stacking up faster than you can say “fuck, I missed out on tickets” – with BBC 6, LA Times, Uncut and Mojo all heaping praise on the alt-country singer and her raw, stunning debut album Don’t Let The Kids Win. There’s only one other Aussie artist whose rocket-fuelled trajectory has taken off this fast in recent memory and her name rhymes with Schmourtney Schmarnett. So you should probably catch Jacklin on this tour before she starts playing her tunes on the US late night television circuit and appearing on Ellen.
Tickets for Julia Jacklin on sale now via Oztix
Thu 17 Nov| The Foundry, Brisbane
Wed 23 Nov | Jive Bar, Adelaide
Thu 24 Nov | Howler, Melbourne
Thu 1 Dec | Transit Bar, Canberra
Fri 2 Dec | The Small Ballroom, Newcastle
Fri 9 Dec | Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Sat 10 Dec | FourFiveNine, Perth
Sat 16 Dec | The Carrington Hotel, Katoomba
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fua9nrkUYew]
LANKS x Hein Cooper – Co-headline tour
Q: What’s better than one innovative Melbourne musician embarking on an 8-date tour? A: Two innovative Melbourne musicians embarking on an 8-date tour together. You likely don’t need an introduction to either of these dudes. LANKS, perennial striped shirt-wearer and top notch human being, just wrapped a national support with Vera Blue and released his second EP Viet Rose, and I honestly have no words for how good it is. Basically, he’s been busy dominating and it really doesn’t seem like he intends on stopping. Hein Cooper is like Ed Sheeran if Ed Sheeran was cool and made good music (there I said it). To hear his gorgeous singles Art Of Escape and Rusty (together they boast over 3 million streams on Spotify) is to feel feelings. They’re gonna make a formidable duo and if you don’t go see them you’re dumb.
Tickets for LANKS x Hein Cooper available via lanksmusic.com/tour
Thu 1 Dec| The Basement, Sydney
Fri 2 Dec | Miranda Hotel, Miranda
Thu 8 Dec | Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Fri 9 Dec | Nightquarter, Gold Coast
Sat 10 Dec | The V Room, Noosa
Thu 15 Dec | Workers Club, Geelong
Fri 16 Dec | The Curtin, Melbourne
Sat 17 Dec | Rocket Bar, Adelaide
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQNvaGJyraA]
Good Boy – Plum EP tour
Hi, have you been living under a rock? Good Boy are a band that are, as their name suggests, very Good. They are also all Boys I guess. They’re touring in support of their EP Plum, aka one of the best, most self-aware snapshots of the Aussie youth zeitgeist we’ve seen in recent memory. Their set at BIGSOUND was so packed I had to stand on a chair and triple j are smashing their tunes basically on the daily, like new single S.O.G.K. They put on a bloody good show. Get your butt to one of them.
Tickets for Good Boy available from Oztix
Fri 7 Oct | The Grace Darling, Melbourne
Sat 8 Oct | Problem Child, Nexus Arts Centre, Adelaide
Fri 14 Oct | Rad Bar, Wollongong
Sat 15 Oct | Oxford Art Factory, Sydney – FREE SHOW
Fri 21 Oct | Elsewhere, Gold Coast
Sat 22 October | The Foundry, Brisbane
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rm6zVEsvXc]
Well, it’s been a week and the dust might finally have settled on Fortitude Valley and another successful BIGSOUND conference and festival. The biggest yet, rolling over three nights and with so much live music and inspirational speeches and moments that make you happy to be a part of the music industry in Australia
Ceres
Enjoying their coming out party are Melbourne rockers Ceres, who just released their sophomore record Drag It Down On You, and thundered through tracks new and slightly older in their packed out set at The Zoo on Thursday night. So much raw emotion delivered from frontman Tom Lanyon, whose throat-shredding vocals provide the perfect voice for some of the heartbreaking stories (his father passed away when he was younger) he weaves through the music of Ceres.
Lanyon is a remarkable frontman, one minute hitting everyone right in the feels dedicating a song to his father, the next thanking the crowd for getting in so early to wait for eventual headliners DZ Deathrays. If you didn’t experience some shuddering feels at any point during Ceres’ set then consider yourself a robot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JNM3G1dOi0
Verge Collection
Walking into the New Globe Theatre on Thursday night I expected to see a bigger crowd gathered for West Coast rockers Verge Collection, but the area was largely deserted as they were soundchecking. I should not have doubted them for a second though, the crowd slowly trickling in as their set began and ending up quite sizeable by the end.
The low-key highlight of the set (and possibly all of BIGSOUND itself) was bassist Andy copping a carton of JPS Reds’ worth of billowing smoke to the face every time the machine went off. Signature tune Our Place went off like a frog in a blender with the crowd loudly singing its memorable chorus. Verge Collection are part of the wave of rock bands embracing their Australian-ness wholeheartedly and performances like theirs at BIGSOUND will only see their star on the up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f83-jov0F2E
FLOWERTRUCK
FLOWERTRUCK are an amazing four-piece out of Sydney who are a healthy mix of Talking Heads and pub rock of the 80s. Frontman Charles Rushforth is an absolute joy to watch live, his booming voice and hilariously animated facial expressions keeping eyes and ears glued for their rollicking set at the New Globe Theatre on the Wednesday night. The chemistry between the band onstage was palpable as they ran through one of the most upbeat sets at BIGSOUND, keyboardist Sarah Sykes harmonising gorgeously with Rushforth on tunes like the jangly saunter of Nail Gun and the stomping I Wanna Be With You from their Dirt EP.
Their rendition of signature tune Sunshower (imagine Paul Kelly backing a bizarro world happy version of The Smiths) was as glorious as the imagery that song evokes, the crowd writhing and probably trying to picture themselves on that walk from Glebe to Newtown as well. BIGSOUND is for bands like FLOWERTRUCK to showcase just how talented they are and the quartet belted it all the way out of Camper Down Park here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eozrxHIAAVA
Polish Club
Sydney two-piece Polish Club were in their usual loud and fine form downstairs at the Woolly Mammoth on Wednesday evening. Duo Novak and John do a damn fine job of making one of the unholiest rackets you could ever boogie to and at BIGSOUND they did not disappoint one bit. Standards like Beeping and Did Somebody Tell Me got the crowd raucous and the knockout blow was a cover of Powderfinger’s (Baby I’ve Got You) On My Mind that had every Maroon-blooded Queenslander in the audience euphoric with pride.
These two deserve a giant festival stage to blast several thousand people with their throwback rock and roll and it’s hopefully not too far into the future where that’s a reality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-iy8ns0CLg
A.B. Original
Thursday night at The Elephant Hotel was utterly lit thanks to Briggs and Trials, collectively known as the incendiary A.B. Original. Not afraid to kick the hive (and “watch all the dumb cunt bees come at them” as Briggs so eloquently put it), their socio-politically charged hip-hop doesn’t just provoke thought, it kicks the fucking door down with some of the fattest old school hip-hop beats going.
The chemistry between the pair onstage is nothing short of remarkable considering their infancy as a duo and they didn’t miss a single beat interchanging lines and owning the stage all set, the crowd seething as one along with them and never more so than when birthday boy Dan Sultan joined them onstage for a run-through of their latest single in the white hot January 26 to close the show. DJ Total Eclipse from New York City got a lot of love from the crowd too for his mind-boggling skill on the decks as well.
Were there Kings Of Bigsound to be crowned, it would have been A.B. Original in a landslide this year. Make no mistake about It, they are the best act in Aussie hip-hop right now and they aren’t going fucking anywhere. You’ll want to catch them at next year’s Laneway or your earliest convenience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ9qeX4gUeo
Image: ABC
2016 has flown by and it is already almost time for the best event on Brisbane’s musical calendar; BIGSOUND. It seems like the happy, hazy buzz of last year’s event has only just worn off, with many of the bands coming up through the festival’s ranks and rising to success in recent months. Remember when Tiny Little Houses were still just a blip on the indie radar? Or before Baro burrowed his way into your head for days?
The three day music industry conference and showcase will take place from the 7th-9th of September and is this year spanning across a mammoth fifteen venues, with over 150 bands creating an orchestra of mid-week madness for professionals and music lovers alike. Not to mention the pre/post/lunch time parties that promise around the clock frivolity throughout the entire week.
We know as well as anyone how hard it is to break out those highlighters and commit to a schedule dictated only by your inability to clone yourself, the disappointing lack of technology to speed up or slow down time, and the lack of super human speed to transport you between stages. To help you along the way we have compiled our list of ten moments that are not to be missed at this year’s event if you want any bragging rights for the next twelve months.
BIGSOUND is where the world discovers Australian music and in case you haven’t noticed, we are a little bit excited about what this year is going to bring.
Get all your ticket info here.
Mushroom Free For All
Tuesday 6th September, 8pm – The Flying Cock (Free entry)
In the pre-event to make the next few festival days a guaranteed struggle, Mushroom are again throwing their free and fabulous party to kick off BIGSOUND on Tuesday night. Featuring the likes of ALTA, Kyle Lionhearted, The Belligerents, Tiny Little Houses, I OH YOU DJ’s and Soothsayer DJ’s, RSVP’s are essential so be sure to register here.
https://youtu.be/CjWIakdCWzc
Secret Sounds ‘The Night Before BIGSOUND’
Tuesday 6th September, 7pm – The Foundry (Free entry)
Remember how we already decided cloning isn’t a thing? It will be a tough call to decide how to divide the time between these two epic Tuesday night shindigs. Another free event with an even bigger lineup including A.D.K.O.B, Alice Ivy, Austen, Ayla, Born Joy Dead, Braille Face, Coda Conduct, Confidence Man, Leena, Gideon Bensen, Ivan Ooze, Mid Ayr, Naations (US), Robbie Mill, Verge Collection, WAAX, Woodes and a bucket load of DJ sets, register your space on the dance floor here.
https://youtu.be/0iNf-1Gfq_s
Mallrat
Wednesday 7th September, 8:50-9:20pm – The Elephant Hotel
Described as the Hannah Montana of the rap game, sixteen year old Mallrat will make you lament your wasted youth with a slew of tracks that are creating hype worldwide. With stunning production and lovely lyrical insights, she’ll make you feel like the most unsuccessful adult around, but it’s worth it.
https://youtu.be/PqlGSQgcL7I
Flowertruck
Wednesday 7th September, 9:40-10:10pm – New Globe Theatre
Hailing from Sydney, this throwback four piece bring a powerhouse of emotions evoking Morrissey or Brisbane’s own The Go-Betweens. Poignant and sway-worthy with plenty of audience banter, cracking single Sunshower is a damn near religious experience live. Be sure to catch them on their way to greater heights and check out their debut EP Dirt here.
https://youtu.be/yvT1J4-H_Wo
Polish Club
Wednesday 7th September, 10:40-11:10pm – Woolly Mammoth Alehouse Stage
Polish Club sound like the cassette you found in your dad’s shoebox and played twenty years later marvelling at the excellent taste he had before he tortured you with Shannon Noll. Their scuzzy haze has all the charm of a pop song and all the vitriol of a late night brawl. Catching these guys live for the first time might be a bit like drinking the first beer on a Friday; unparalleled satisfaction.
https://youtu.be/E-iy8ns0CLg
Kučka
Wednesday 7th September, 10:50-11:20pm – The Flying Cock
It’s a voice that you couldn’t have possibly escaped this year, featuring on Flume’s smash hit track Smoke And Retribution alongside Vince Staples. This singer also has plenty of her own to offer. Get a taste of those angelic sounds and R&B stylings before Kučka heads overseas for the remainder of the year.
https://youtu.be/ZoiBN8QdDu0
Pandora Lunch Party
Thursday 8th September, 2:30pm – Ric’s Big Back Yard
Featuring APES, Young Tapz and Ecca Vandal, this promises to be an afternoon of raw energy. From the hard hitting guitar rock of APES, to the smooth flow of Young Tapz to the infectious raucousness of Ecca Vandal, this will get your final BIGSOUND night off to the right kind of start.
https://youtu.be/wbkJsg9w4hU
B Wise
Thursday 8th September, 8:50-9:20pm – The Elephant Hotel
B Wise has broken out on the local MC circuit in 2016, scoring supporting slots for huge names like Tuka (Thundamentals), Vince Staples, Yelawolf and Freddie Gibbs. The Sydney-based rapper lays his slow swagger atop luscious production and is sure to bring a glow to The Elephant stage.
https://youtu.be/WEs_jPyORDc
Terrible Truths
Thursday 8th September, 9:40-10:10pm – The New Globe Theatre
Our calendar couldn’t be complete without some DIY bedroom jams, and Terrible Truths bring just that in spades. The Melbourne three piece ooze 70’s post punk and riot grrl charm on their self titled debut and will bring all that fuzzy goodness to the stage on Thursday night.
https://youtu.be/sHX_r1oXn4s
Sampa The Great
Thursday 8th September, 11:20-11:50pm – Oh Hello!
Undoubtedly one of the most exciting voices in Australian hip-hop, Sampa The Great will be bringing her fusion of poetry and rhyme to the stage, transcending definition and connecting on every level. Off the back of her debut release The Great Mixtape, this might be the most anticipated set at this year’s event.
https://youtu.be/lHoE43gcB1A
Well that was extremely difficult and we’ve only just scratched the surface! Pumped yet? 7 days and counting!
Image: Sampa The Great
It’s video roundup time! Once again, Howl And Echoes are coming in hot with the freshest, most eyeball-stimulating music videos to be dropped by the artists you love and some of the artists you don’t know you love yet this week. We do all the dirty work and herd them all into one convenient web-based location for you to enjoy every Friday so that you don’t have to. Have yourself a good old gander at the latest offerings from:
Metronomy – Night Owl
London electro veterans Metronomy have another single out. Taken from their most recent album Summer ’08, it’s called Night Owl, featuring one hell of a fat bass line anchoring the track and Metronomy architect Joseph Mount’s silky smooth, laidback vocals. The deep synths that kick in
The video, directed by Quentin Dupieux, follows Mount going on a very interesting road trip with his girlfriend through the Palm Desert in sunny Palm Springs. It features a whole lot of mysterious symbolism but it’s sunny and warm and picturesque.
Summer ’08 is out now on Warner Music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0drWXOpm-Q
Ngaiire – House On A Rock
The uber-soulful Ngaiire is enjoying a whirlwind of acclaim after releasing her latest album Blastoma earlier in the year to rave reviews. The latest single from that record is House On A Rock, dark and brooding with discordant rhythms and clashing synths as well as that catchy as hell chorus that has seen the track cop plenty of spins on airwaves everywhere.
Directed by Dan Segal, the music video was shot in Tel Aviv in Israel in stark black and white and depicts Ngaiire at the end of a rocky relationship, the tense atmosphere of the relationship mirroring the vibe of the song perfectly.
Blastoma is out now on Maximillion Brown. Catch Ngairre as she supports Leon Bridges on his Australian tour and at her Splendour In The Grass set next weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYmbZkP3LfU
Hinds – Warts
To Spain next and rocking all-girl foursome Hinds, out with their latest single Warts. Taken from their debut album Leave Me Alone, the track is a lot more pleasant than its namesake, sunny and evenly-paced with warm guitar licks and warped out vocals running all over it.
Shot in Barcelona, the video focuses on the same story the song tells, of a guy falling for a girl that everybody knows is bad news except him. Hinds try their darndest to save this oblivious chap and it makes for some interesting viewing.
Leave Me Alone is out now via Mom + Pop Music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLygTTOpE5w
Set Mo – Comfort You (ft. Fractures)
Back to Sydney with partners in crime Set Mo, who are seeking to back up their huge 2015 breakout in 2016 and are well on their way with latest single Comfort You. It’s a melodic banger featuring a stellar vocal turn from Melbourne’s Fractures, slowly building the pace to a cacophony before falling away into a gorgeous piano-driven chorus. The intricate layers of sound only grow as the song charges along and its evident this is going to be a huge hit for Set Mo.
The video features some absolutely gorgeous scenery from around Japan, stunning natural gardens and landscapes mixed with bustling urban nightlife and echoing the warm sentiment of the song itself beautifully.
Catch Set Mo right now touring Australia in support of the single.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAm7kZpNUSc
Banks – Fuck With Myself
Orange County songstress Banks this week announced the official release date for her next album, the follow-up to her 2014 debut Goddess as well as putting out its lead single, the superb Fuck With Myself.
A song of fierce independence, Banks’ feather-soft, spine-tingling voice shows considerable range over minimalistic, semi-industrial production to keep the focus squarely on her vocals. The video is unsettling as hell, Banks in a grimy warehouse flanked by contortionist dancers and a lifelike bust of herself, which she subjects to a lot of torment.
Banks sophomore album is out September 30th via Harvest Records.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-99e4geCm2w
Chvrches – Bury It (ft. Hayley Williams)
After sophomore album Every Open Eye won them stacks of new fans and saw them as one of the most critically acclaimed bands in 2015, Glasgow synthpop trio Chvrches are still releasing singles from that huge record, their sixth out this week isBury It.
Featuring gigantic synths and Lauren Mayberry’s famously powerful set of pipes as well as an alley-oop from Paramore vocalist Hayley Williams, Bury It is the kind of banger Chvrches have become so highly-regarded for. The video is comic book inspired, animated version of Williams and Chvrches meeting up and using what look like telekinetic superpowers to fly and levitate objects (we’re presuming for good).
Every Open Eye is out now via Goodbye Records.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9BLMNn0PrQ
JOY. – Like Home
Brisbane-born multitalented siren JOY. Is another of 2015’s success stories, all off the back of one mesmerizingly good four-track EP Ode and a metric shit-tonne of touring and coveted support slots. Her first solo track of 2016 is the dangerous Like Home.
Almost menacing production anchors the song, a filthy beat that is totally measured and covered in a tangible darkness, the lone source of light coming JOY.’s gorgeously lilting vocals. The video finds the singer wandering a cold-looking carpark after dark and looking as un-fuck-with-able as the song she’s made.
Let Like Home be just the tip of the iceberg for what this hugely talented young artist has in store for the rest of 2016.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvvDjDhVs3E
Polish Club – My House
Sydney power duo Polish Club, like a lot of other artists in this week’s roundup, had themselves a massive breakout 2015. Off the back of their debut EP featuring hits like Beeping and Able and followed up at the tail end of the year with the single for their latest video My House.
It’s more of the same good old time, soul-infused rock and roll with frontman Novak’s unmistakeable raspy growl. Big guitars, thunderous drums and just a ripper two minute slice of rock from one of the most exciting young acts in Australia. The accompanying video features the two, unintentionally hilariously playing such a killer tune stock still in various rooms around the house.
Keep your eyes planted firmly on these two for the rest of 2016.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIThMqKkKjs
Although having seemingly only been around for a cup of coffee as a band, Sydney’s Polish Club have already made a big impact in Australia. Just one self-titled EP and a 7″ under their belts, the duo have quickly caught the public eye as makers of an unholy yet toe-tapping, infectious as all get-out racket.
Rock and roll the way it used to be, with old soul coursing through its veins and every riff boogie-inciting. Their live show is a sweaty barrel of fun so we were beyond excited to be seeing them in that environment again at Brisbane’s rock and roll showcase festival The Blurst Of Times over the weekend.
We got to sit down with 100% of Polish Club in frontman and guitarist Novak and drummer John for a chat just before they went wild onstage at The Brightside.
John and Novak of Polish Club! For the record here, how are you boys doing tonight?
Novak: Pretty good. We only just got here now so I’m going to get a burger and then we’ll feel 100% better. They have burgers here but I might have to go to Ben’s Burgers. Or I could try both, I don’t know.
John: Last time we were here we had two dinners in one night.
N: Yeah we went to Ben’s and then to Jamie’s Italian directly afterwards, it was fucked.
Ben’s was like your huge entree?
N: Just blame our producer, he was still hungry. I thought I’d oblige an American with a couple of burgers.
He’s a hard-working man I’m sure. Speaking of the last time you were here, I happened to be at The Brightside for your show and Polish Club just about tore the roof off.
N: *Looks up* It’s still there though. I mean, I don’t want to call you a liar…
I think they patched it up in the meantime before you guys came back.
N: They’ve done a bang-up job, I can’t tell.
For all that noise, what do Polish Club do to get ready for something like that?
J: Smoke a lot.
N: A cup of tea and a burger.
J: I have a muesli bar and a Gatorade… Our rider is beers, whiskey, bananas and a muesli bar. Just one muesli bar.
N: We got lucky once and somebody left a whole box of Carman’s muesli bars backstage. I think it was the Cold Chisel gig. I took them home and had muesli bars for days.
J: Last time we were here they actually gave us a bottle of whiskey.
N: Oh yeah, that was sick.
J: Usually they don’t give it to us.
N: I was everyone’s best friend that day.
Similar vibe here tonight?
N: Yeah, I love The Brightside!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-iy8ns0CLg
You guys are playing for the first time at The Blurst Of Times tonight. Are you friends with a lot of the other bands on the bill, are you making any new ones?
J: I really like the Bad//Dreems guys.
N: Yeah we played with the Bad//Dreems guys at Vic On The Park in Sydney and they’re just dudes. They’re nice guys. I don’t know, John is a lot more proficient at making inter-band friends.
J: Ahhhh you’re alright.
N: I don’t know, I get tired and agitated really quickly. It’s like wrestling, you tag out and then someone takes over the pleasantries duty.
J: I used to know the Dune Rats guys when they were in other bands but I don’t know if they’d remember.
N: It’s my mission to make friends with Kirin J Callinan.
It’s our mission too!
J: I think it might be easier than you think.
N: Maybe I’ll just take off all my clothes later on.
I think he’s wearing a kilt tonight.
N: Excellent. I’m sure there’s nothing underneath that kilt.
J: Is it just a kilt or…?
I only saw him sitting down but it looked like a proper kilt to me.
N: I remember the days when he used to wear a wedding dress, that was great.
Novak how do you take care of that voice?
J: He doesn’t, he’s so bad man.
N: Fuck off! No, I have a warm-up that I try to do. I literally blow out my voice every set. I mean it’s not fit for screaming at the end of the day so it’s kind of damage control. Trying not to talk too much, which is hard in a situation like this. There’s no recipe for success, you just have to do it and not be a bitch about it.
I drink a lot of water. Get a lot of sleep. All the rock and roll staples. No socialising either *laughs*
Muesli bars and bananas as well.
J: That’s me. That’s so I don’t spew.
You guys just got back from Los Angeles a little while back, I understand you were over there working on your debut album.
N: Yeah we got started recording. It’s fucking crazy man, LA is a different ball game. It’s the real deal. It was fun. We’re going to go back in a couple of months and try to finish off the rest of it and it’s going to be great. Not sure what else to tell you about it. We ate a lot of burgers, I’ll tell you that much. A lot of double dinners happening there.
J: Literally every night.
N: It was never my idea but I never said no. There’s just so much to sample and it’s all delicious. So when in Rome…
J: Eat like a pig. Eat until you can’t shit.
N: Eat until you die! Just be like Elvis.
Bacon on top of everything.
N: Yeah man, just squirrel and peanut butter sandwiches, whatever.
J: Every time we get home at the end of the day we both just run for the toilet trying to get there first.
N: It’s like our church. We pay our respects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaNXy083tjs
You guys are in a fairly uncommon position as a two-piece band-
J: There’s lots of two-piece bands in Australia. Dune Rats-
They’re three now.
J: Oh, well there’s Hockey Dad, DZ Deathrays, The Mess Hall-
N: It’s not really a thing. Like, you see a three-piece, you see a four-piece, you see a solo artist and nobody goes ‘how do you do it, there’s only one of you onstage, what the fuck what made you try and do it all by yourself?’.
It’s circumstances. We’re a two-piece and we don’t have a fucking bass and it just worked. It wasn’t a conscious thing, just situational and fortunately it worked out and it’s loud enough so fuck it. I don’t need a third person, John I’m sure you don’t need a third person?
J: No, no I’m good.
N: That takes us from getting a twin single in a hotel and two plane tickets to two hotel rooms and possibly having to go to hostels and then getting a tour van. A fucking tour van, nobody wants that shit. I’ll take Uber and a hotel any day.
And there’s more money for burgers then.
N: Exactly. That’s our third member. Dead animals.
J: I feel like I’m carrying a third member sometimes.
You guys seem like great friends. You mentioned your circumstances in ending up a two-piece just before, how did this all come about?
N: We’re just the best of mates *laughs* I don’t know, we’ve known each other for ten years now.
J: We were in another band.
N: Yeah we were in a four-piece for a while but it wasn’t a real serious band, we were kind of just fucking around. So we just decided to try our own thing one day and it worked. I don’t know. I never really think about how and why, we were just pragmatic about it and it seemed to work and so we just ran with it.
J: We were just on the same page and the other two guys kind of weren’t.
N: Yeah, it’s like one guy wants to be Radiohead or Aphex Twin, the other guy is obsessed with Caribou.
J: We both liked our ideas and the other two guys didn’t like our ideas, so here we are.
Beautiful. Now as a Sydney band Polish Club has been incredibly vocal about your city’s lockout laws-
N: *laughs*
J: Once you get him started… Even in America he was talking about it.
N: Well the funny thing is, I can’t tell you the last time I was out past 1:30 in the morning.
J: Even in Adelaide you were like ‘I’m going home, see ya’.
*A fan hands John a t-shirt and talks to him on the side for a bit*
N: Yeah, I went home first! I don’t know, if people ask me about it I’m going to tell them the answer. If people get sent home but the casinos can stay open for as long as they like even though people are getting bashed by security guards there then something’s not right and if bars that have pokies out the back get exempt from lockout laws then it’s obviously bullshit.
So even though I don’t really partake in partying too late nowadays and I haven’t felt the effects of lockout laws myself, it would be nice to-
J: *Checking back in* Oh he’s still talking about it?
N: It would just be nice to have our friends and people who work at bars that depend on being able to be open late at night to have parties and have bands and DJs on.
J: Who are your friends that work at bars?
N: *Lists some names* Wait, maybe don’t put their actual names in this…
J: Those aren’t even real names!
N: No you know, Good God’s not really Good God anymore and fucking Spectrum at The Exchange. I mean even though it was a bit of a shithole before the lockouts…
J: I thought it closed before the lockouts. Shit, I don’t want to be seen as the pro lockouts guy.
We’re going to definitely paint it that way when we publish this.
J: Keep Sydney Closed! Keep Sydney Closed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvUxYJ9Daj4
N: MUM’s not MUM anymore. All the shitty gigs that we played that gave us a chance to have a gig when we didn’t really have a reputation or if we were in another shitty band; those aren’t there anymore.
J: We only started when the lockouts came in though and that was our first gig.
N: They paid us $300! Nobody else would pay us $300! That’s very selfish thinking John! No look; I know that nobody’s dying and that there are much bigger issues out there, it’s just blatant-
J: I think you’re more pissed off about the casino, just leave it at that.
N: It’s bullshit. Barry O’Farrell can go fuck himself.
In our opinion, it’s definitely bullshit.
N: It is bullshit. I mean, I’m not writing songs about it or crying about it but if someone asks me-
J: You did write a song about it?
N: Yeah but we don’t play it though *laughs*
Looking forward for you guys, what can we expect in the next year or so to come?
N: Oh just heaps of our bars closing down *laughs* no, we hope to eventually release this album.
J: Maybe early next year.
N: Probably. Whenever it’s ready. I mean, that’s all we’re really thinking about at the moment is making a good album. You only get to make one first album and the opportunity that we have doing it in LA is so stupid that it would be ridiculous to even think about anything else right now. So hopefully this time next year we’ll be doing our own shows and have a couple of singles from the new album
Thank you both very much for having this chat with us, we’re looking forward to seeing you onstage in just a bit!
N: Thank you for having us, it was a pleasure.
Check out our review of Polish Club’s EP here.
Image: Triple J