The Velvet Morning #004: On-Scene @ THE metro Social.
The idea that nightlife or the live music scene in Eora/Sydney is ‘dead’ is buzzkill propaganda. If you really do think this, you just don’t know where to look yet. Believe me, any given week, you’ll be completely spoiled for choice on gigs, concerts, raves, D-floors; the real issue is knowing where to start. Yes, I know there’s no substitute for being there in-person, but hopefully I can give you a glimpse of what you’ve been missing.
THE METRO SOCIAL
For a night of live music created by and for the community, look no further than the Metro Social. This event has been incredible for local outfits making a name for themselves and for growing the community. Every Wednesday this July, the Metro Theatre hosted a lineup of up-and-coming local acts, all with completely free entry. If you got to go, maybe I saw you there! If you missed it, don’t worry, there’ll be plenty more.
The Metro Social is one aspect of Sydney’s live scene that has so much to offer. On the 8th of July, I went in blind. I learned the names of the bands as they hit the stage, I made fast friends with like-minded fans of the music, and met some of the musicians. It’s these kinds of nights that capture everything great about the scene; everything’s in the one place, you don’t have anyone to prove yourself to.
via metro_theatre
THE METRO THEATRE
Just off Taylor Square on George St, the Metro Theatre hides a modest concert hall that’s been hosting local rising stars since the 90s. The side entrance brings you High-ceilings, stage lights, a balcony of raised seating and overlooking the raised stage, all surrounding the audience standing area that has its own gravity; you feel this pull towards the edge of the stage that you can’t help but give in to.
Then, the bands took the stage.
via moth_exclamationmark IG
MOTH!
The term ‘punk rock’ is thrown around a lot, and the meaning can be obscured a little. To make it clear, punk rock music is characterised by raw instrumentation, beneath-the-skin expression, and (obviously) uncensored, unapologetic criticism and contempt of the powers that be. I couldn’t describe Moth! better if I tried. Following on a trail fanatically blazed by icons Amyl and the Sniffers, Moth! brought charged, hardcore raging at LinkedIn to anarchistic chants about consumers asserting their dignity and combatting corporate greed. To elaborate, frontwoman Julia Goodnow took a moment between songs to pass out single carrots she’d… liberated (allegedly) into the crowd. If you wanted punk, you’ve got it.
via playnejayneband IG
PLAYNE JAYNE
To say Playne Jayne are “anything but plain” would be cheesy and an understatement. The alt-rock roman candle from Sydney’s North was hypnotic to watch; a 5-piece that filled the stage with head-spinning dynamics to the point that I didn’t know where to look. I know no one likes to get boxed in by genres, but I’m stumped by the sonic mix of ethereal cleans from lead vocalist Lulu Huntington that drift over the thrashing riffage of guitarist Cody, and Queens Of The Stone Age-esque drumming of Penelope Martin.
FAILSAFE
3-piece grunge band Failsafe played like they were at Wembley. The band’s composure, technical prowess and expression – Anna Morrow’s bass playing, Liam Elwing’s singing and guitar playing, and Theo Fernandez’s drumming – were that of musicians a decade their senior, and made me second-guess if this gig was supposed to be free. The sonic expression, and Elwing’s flip attitude on the mic between songs, was what every rock outfit dreams they could eventually be.
PURPLE DISTURBANCE
The phrase ‘see it to believe it’ should be (and one day probably will be) tattooed across show-stealing frontman Thomas Downes’ chest. Bold and brazenly uninhibited, the Coffs Harbour 4-piece blended hardcore punk attitude with uniquely Aussie sensibilities – extremely tongue-in-cheek songs about vaping, chocolate cake and lampooning hyper-masculine sport culture, all while Downes is ditching his shirt and shoes and leaning into the crowd. These guys don’t need pyrotechnics.
Believe me, I’m not easy to please. I’m not a huge fan of crowds, or getting dragged to an event where I don’t know anyone, including the people behind the mic or on the decks. Actually getting out to gigs is the only way to find what you like and what you love – you can only glean so much from a shaky clip of a blurry stage on your friend’s Instagram story. That will NEVER do it justice.
If you want to know where I found the gig, I had a look at the fantastic work on SydneyMusic.Net, a comprehensive, real-time almanac of all gigs great and small happening in Sydney on a given day, week or month. Volunteer-run and not-for-profit, they provide a service to the community that you really can’t find anywhere else. I personally love what they do and encourage showing them support!
Culture Editor Joseph’s curated Over The Underground follow-up. Detailing the experience at a local gig, exploring what the Sydney music scene looks, feels and sounds like right now.