Tees
Dance pop
Tees will start the weekend early with a set of reverb-heavy dance pop in support of Dorsal Fins. There are hints of Cocteau Twins in the Sydney duo’s sound, though rather than oscillating guitars and mystic hypnosis Tees songs tend to centre on a sweaty house beat.
Thursday August 25 – Newtown Social Club – Sydney, NSW (w/ Dorsal Fins)
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Cold Hands Warm Heart
Psych folk
Melbourne four-piece Cold Hands Warm Heart are launching the video for ‘Nightfall’, taken from their 2016 self-titled mini-LP. Their brand of psych folk isn’t especially hallucinogenic – building meticulous arrangements with harps, recorders, percussion and guitars – but it is transportive.
Thursday August 25 – Gasometer Hotel – Melbourne, VIC
Arpier
Indie pop/slacker
Brisbane slackers Arpier inherited a thing for clean, chorusing guitars from Mac DeMarco. At least that’s the way it seems – of course, ol’ Mac isn’t the first to favour jangle over fuzz. Anyway, Arpier are using their guitars to will away the winter, creating easy going indie pop.
Thursday August 25 – Black Bear Lodge – Brisbane, QLD
The Gooch Palms
Garage rock
The Gooch Palms make a decent amount of sound on record for just two people. Their just-released second LP Introverted Extroverts benefits from the presence of mixing engineer Bill Skibbe (The Kills, Fucked Up), packing a heavier punch than their debut. But goodness me do their garage rock’n’roll numbers soar to another level in the live environment. They’re based overseas these days, so the opportunity to catch them shouldn’t be missed.
Friday August 26 – The Foundry – Brisbane, QLD
Rainbow Chan
Experimental pop
Is Rainbow Chan really huge by now? I’ve never met anyone that’s heard her music and not fallen in love. Especially pronounced are peoples’ reactions to a Rainbow Chan live show. She’s a deft multi-tasker, conjuring up layers of crunchy experimental electro-pop with preeminent ease. Even if the answer to that opening inquiry is no, Chan’s new single ‘Work’ will surely grab the attention of even more doting ears.
Friday August 26 – Oxford Art Factory (Volumes Festival) – Sydney, NSW
The John Steel Singers
Art pop
The John Steel Singers are breaking up, but I’m not sure I truly believe them. I mean, have they ever really given it everything? Yes, they’ve made some bloody rippin’ albums of funk-infused, joyful pop rock, and played shows here, there and everywhere, but they’ve never seemed like total hustlers. So while in theory it’s sad to see them go, I won’t rule out a future reunion.
Saturday August 27 – Northcote Social Club – Melbourne, VIC
Ben Wright Smith
Indie pop
Melbourne dude Ben Wright Smith has a new single, ‘Sand Grabber’. I’m not familiar with the expression sand grabber, but the chorus lyrics would have me believe everyone’s doing it. I guess I’m on board with the sentiment – we’re all clutching at sand in the wind, trying to prevent it from flying away. Clearly a metaphor for that friend of yours who never buys drinks but instead does a lap of the pub every 20 minutes and drinks all the remaining liquid from glasses others have left behind. Simple, really.
Saturday August 27 – Oxford Circus – Sydney, NSW
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Jack Carty
Alt folk
Jack’s back. He’s made a new album. Yeah, bloody heck, bloke just won’t keep quiet. This one’s called Home State. It’s a lovely suite of acoustic strummed songs led by Jack’s earnest, boy-next-door vocal demeanour. Get up close with the lad over in Adelaide this Saturday.
Saturday August 27 – The Grace Emily – Adelaide, SA
Hamjam
Alt pop
While the regular dictionary defines “lean” as “having no superfluous fat”, Urban Dictionary defines it as a “purple drank” containing a hefty dose of prescription cough syrup, lemonade and Jolly Rancher candy. Hamjam have a new single called ‘Lean’. It’s a pretty lil’ alt pop number featuring a sax solo from Jack Doepel. Only time will tell if this becomes the third definition of lean.
Saturday August 27 – The Bird – Perth, WA
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Time For Dreams
Pop/experimental
Amanda Roff and Tom Carlyon are names most Melburnians would recognise from bands The Devastations, The Ukeladies and Harmony. They’ve been playing together for a number of years as Time For Dreams, but they’re a very hard act to track down. They make a kind of experimental electronic post-punk that summons its own sense of mystery. Well worth a look.
Sunday August 28 – The Tote – Melbourne, VIC
