You hear a lot of people saying “Australia’s live music scene is dying,” or “Australia’s live music scene is dead” these days. But those people have absolutely no clue what they’re talking about. Every week, in any Australian city, there is an overwhelming choice of great live music to be seen. Nobody understands this better than GiggedIn.
For those of you not yet familiar with GiggedIn, allow me to give a quick rundown; GiggedIn is a subscription service for live music. You pay by the month, like you would Netflix, but instead of getting streamable television shows, you get actual tickets to real life gigs.
Through the gig-listing section on GiggedIn’s website, I was able to find a stack of great upcoming gigs (some of which I was wasn’t already across), easily get my hands on tickets through by clicking ‘RSVP’, and head along to some of the best live shows I’ve been to in a long time.
GiggedIn are a service offering music lovers a chance to see more great live music than ever, so I thought I’d road test my subscription. Here are three gigs I saw this month through GiggedIn…
Farmer & The Owl Festival – Stuart Park, Wollongong
Yes, that’s right. Not only does a GiggedIn subscription score you tickets to some incredible local shows, but it also scores you tickets to some of the country’s biggest and best music festivals.
Last November, when Farmer & The Owl Festival released their first-round lineup, music lovers from all over NSW let out a collective squeal of excitement. The festival’s lineup was stacked from top to bottom with incredible Aussie talent, as well as a catalogue of great international touring acts. Needless to say, I was pretty stoked to nab a ticket.
For me, the day began with Austinmere septet Shining Bird. With their atmospheric blend of alt-pop sounds, the band quickly had their audience hypnotised. As guitarist Al scaled the outdoor festival stage, we were left below in complete awe.
As the day rolled on, I was treated to live sets from The Garden, Carla Geneve, and Snail Mail, among others. Though as the sun began to lower, it was Party Dozen’s turn to take the stage. Undeniably the most brutal set of the day, the Sydney experimental duo were a bombardment of bone-rattling noise from start to finish. The sight of saxophonist Kirsty in a blood-drenched shirt is not one that will soon leave my memory.
The day finished with sets from headliners Hockey Dad and Beach House, who both showcased their incredibly tight live shows. Beach House, in particular, delivered a spellbinding live performance – so impressive I thought I may as well see them live again in two nights time…
Beach House – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Normally, after going to a music festival on the weekend, I would not be in any financial state to go splurging on tickets to an international band’s headline Enmore Theatre show. But, because I had some points saved up on my GiggedIn account, I was able to make the split decision to head along and see the band who had wowed me so spectacularly a few nights earlier.
Performing live, Beach House are a band like no other. Their music folds over you, enveloping you wholly. The lush soundscapes of their records are intensified, morphed into something completely new.
At their Enmore show earlier this month, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally had their live chops on display for all. With Legrand’s ethereal vocals and Scally’s rich guitar lines, the duo (with a little help from a touring drummer) delivered a performance worthy of their international headlining status.
The opening track of their latest album 7, Dark Spring, was a standout track of the night. With disorientating strobes and thunderous instrumentation, the track left an entire audience unsure of where they were. It was one of the greatest live music moments I’ve experienced in some time.
Crocodylus / A. Swayze & The Ghosts / VOIID – The Marrickville Bowlo, Sydney
This past Friday night at The Marrickville Bowlo was a special night. When three of the country’s best live bands join forces for one epic triple-headline tour, you know you’re in store for something good.
First up was VOIID; a band who’ve spent the past number of years touring extensively around the country, building themselves as a live tour-de-force. With a string of recent singles under their belt, the Brisbane four-piece tore through a vitriolic set that smacked the faces off all in attendance.
Then came Tassie outfit A. Swayze & The Ghosts. I first saw A. Swayze live last October, and ever since then, I’ve been itching to see them again. Known for their raucous performances, the band have quickly established themselves as one of the best live acts currently making the rounds.
On Friday, the band turned out in full force. The band’s frontman, Andrew Swayze, was his usual lunatic self, and the backup was tight as ever. With their sweaty brand of reckless pub-rock, the four-piece were a captivating presence from start to finish.
To close the night, hometown boys Crocodylus hit the stage, belting out their surf-infused garage punk. With the packed out venue getting increasingly wild, Crocs pushed out one of their best sets to date.
Travelling seamlessly between each track, the trio quickly had the Bowlo crowd in an absolute frenzy. As frontman Josh called the entire crowd up on stage, complete madness ensued. And with that, an epic night was complete.
Find out more about GiggedIn here.
