10 Artists To Catch Live This Week(end)
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10 Artists To Catch Live This Week(end)

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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)

Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Facebook

 

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

Soundcloud | Website  

 

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

Facebook | Unearthed  

 

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

Facebook | Website | Bandcamp  

 

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

Facebook | Website  

 

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

Facebook | Bandcamp | Website

 

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

Website | Soundcloud | Facebook

 

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

YouTube | Website | Facebook

 

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

Bandcamp | Facebook | Soundcloud  

 

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

Soundcloud | Facebook