Heart Beach
Indie pop
Tassie indie mob Heart Beach have a new LP called Kiss Your Face. This is a difficult thing to say without sounding condescending, but the Hobart trio have always seemed like the sweetest things. Theirs are faces you’d definitely want to kiss; at least that’s what their laidback guitar-led indie pop tunes suggest. Thursday December 1 – Gasometer Hotel – Melbourne, VIC
Jack River
Pop rock
I Oh You singing Jack River is hopping about the place in support of her ‘Palo Alto’ single. Palo Alto is a city in the Bay Area, home to parts of Stanford Univeristy and a whole bunch of tech businesses (Hewlett Packard, Tesla Motors etc). The song doesn’t sound too technical or studied, but it is classily assembled and indicative of bigger things to come. Thursday December 1 – The Foundry – Brisbane, QLD
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Aegean Sun
Disco
Party people Aegean Sun are on board for this month’s instalment of the hot indie party Visions. The folks behind Visions have been spotting rising talent for nearly three years now and I’m sure glad they found Aegean Sun and their fucked up groovy bass lines. Friday December 2 – Waywards – Sydney, NSW
Deep Sea Arcade
Pop/rock
Deep Sea Arcade have been desperately missed. I first saw them at the Woodford Tavern in Erina supporting Bluejuice back in 2008, immediately becoming hooked. I then caught them as regularly as possible, including a couple of times in London, before they disappeared in late 2013. They returned recently with ‘Learning to Fly’ – an expertly arranged psychedelic pop song akin to Super Furry Animals. Friday December 2 – Woolly Mammoth – Brisbane, QLD
Steph Hughes
Indie rock
Steph Hughes is one quarter of Dick Diver. Dick Diver’s trifecta of New Start Again, Calendar Days and Melbourne, Florida contains some of the finest examples of contemporary Australian songcraft. That makes her a proponent of the very best, so the fact she’s playing solo shows fills me with immense joy. Saturday December 3 – Northcote Social Club – Melbourne, VIC
Yacht Club DJs
Dance
There was a sad, sad time two years ago when we all realised that the Tuesday comedown after Sunday night’s Yacht Club DJs show would be the last time we’d swing from such a high to such a low. But what do you know, the all time party duo are back at it, making amphetamines seem paltry in comparison to their extravagant DJ sets. Saturday December 3 – Republic Bar – Hobart, TAS
The Sunday Reeds
Rock
The Sunday Reeds give a nod to the shoegaze and indie pop scenes thriving in the UK in the ‘90s. There’s a bit of the Verve, a bit of Primal Scream, even a hint of Manic Street Preachers. Saturday December 3 – Hotel Metro – Adelaide, SA
Leure
Electronic
Leure makes some pretty cold, anxiety inducing electronic pop music. It’s not a painful listen, but it’s also not especially flattering. Drums clatter and decompose, bass frequencies whirr and burrow. Holding it all in place and offering a bit of light are her melodious vocals. Sunday December 4 – The Bird – Perth, WA
Summerflake
Indie rock
There’s been enough good music to come out of Melbourne this year to keep us all busy for at least the next 12 months. One release that stood out back in April was Summerflake’s Hello Friends, and the record’s lo-fi guitar buzz retains its charming and curious character eight months later.
Monday December 5 – Northcote Social Club – Melbourne, VIC
Yes I’m Leaving
Grunge/punk
Sydney trio Yes I’m Leaving have been been busy of late playing a bunch of shows ‘round their home town of Sydney. Their angsty, messy grunge numbers are the sort that’d keep your neighbours up all night. And if they’ve got a clue, they’ll be writing you a letter saying thanks for the introduction.
Monday December 5 – Newtown Social Club – Sydney, NSW
