Summer is finally upon us and so, in the true Australian tradition let us rejoice with rapturous abandon via some wild weekend shenanigans and salary subsidised hangovers as we scrape through the end of the year. What better way to really stick it to the man though than chucking a sickie, taking Friday off, booking a hostel and having your own long weekend away right? Well how about just going all in and packing some back to back live music in there for good measure? In case you’re my kind of crazy, here is a list of 5 Weekends of Music Worth Chucking A Sickie For, with one weekend in each of our nation’s capital cities (sorry Hobart, Darwin and Canberra)… brought to you by our good friends at YHA.
Sydney
Friday 11th – Sat 12th December
Tim & Eric ‘Stralia – Zealand Experience
Friday 11th December
Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Tickets: Ticketek
So not really music, Tim & Eric‘s ‘Stralia – Zealand Experience is nevertheless the perfect way to start a weekend away, because no matter how weird shit gets later on down the line, nothing will be weirder than Tim & Eric. You should probably just watch the video below to get an idea of what to expect from the show, as I lack the brain dysfunction necessary to properly capture the absurdity that these two deal in.
Big Ass Tour with The Amity Affliction & A Day To Remember
Saturday 12th December
Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney
Tickets: Ticektek
Surely some of you are already planning to travel in to catch this show as Australia’s own The Amity Affliction make their triumphant return home with A Day To Remember joining them for the very appropriately titled Big Ass Tour. If you took my advice and went to Tim & Eric the night before you should be in good condition to well and truly rock out at this show, which is set to be one of the year’s biggest heavy music gigs.
You can check out the Sydney Central YHA Hostel here
Melbourne
Friday December 4th – Saturday 5th December
Goat & King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Friday 4th December
The Croxton Hotel, Melbourne
Tickets: The Croxton
What would a treat to Melbourne be without checking out the much venerated local music scene ay? Still you don’t want to be traveling all Friday just to catch some local band who’ll probably be playing a festival or two in the coming months. Well do I have the gig for you as Swedish experimental fusion group Goat are playing a double headline show with Melbourne’s own psychedelic sons King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard at The Croxton in Thornbury. Both bands renowned for their live shows and expansive musicianship, this will be the perfect dose of Melbourne culture to start off your weekend away.
Custard
Saturday Dec 5th
The Toff, Melbourne
Tickets: MoshTix
Speaking of things you go to Melbourne for, why don’t you try out some 90s nostalgia in the city that invented it by checking out Custard show at the Toff. The first time the boys have played since 1999, this is going to be an intimate affair, taking everyone back to a simpler time, when we only have 5 tv channels, Mambo was the height of Australian fashion and Custard the nation with their cheeky mix of humour and great pop tunes.
You can check out the Melbourne Central YHA Hostel here
Brisbane
Friday 4th – Sunday 6th December
Rise Against
Friday 4th December
Riverstage, Brisbane
Tickets: Ticketmaster
This is going to be one hell of a start to a weekend, Rise Against having a reputation as a wild live band not shy about getting the audience involved. Fun fact, these guys were the first band I ever crowd surfed to, after getting way too deep in the mosh and needing to escape. Still I’ve considered that, which is why I’ve given you the option of a day off between shows this time to recover from what is surely to be some spine damaging headbanging and moshing.
Shellac
Saturday 5th December
The Triffid, Brisbane
Tickets: The Triffid
Now if a day off sounds like a pussy move to you, you would be right, as motherfucking Shellac are playing on Saturday night and even if you have never heard of them before, if you consider yourself a punk, or really just a music fan, these guys are a must see. The relentless post punk three piece made up of legendary producer Steve Albini (Nirvana, The Pixies) on guitar and vocals with support from Bob Weston on bass and Todd Trainor on drums, these guys are one of the best live bands on the plant doing with a three piece what others would struggle to do with ten. Watch the footage below to get a taste, but trust me when I say this gig will be worth dying for, let along chucking a sickie for.
Shellac – Steady As She Goes
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Sunday 6th December
The Triffid, Brisbane
Tickets: The Triffid
Having followed my advice this far, you are going to be in the mood to take it pretty easy on Sunday, which is why the chaser on the punk rock cocktail of a weekend in Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Touring off the back of their critically acclaimed third album Multi-Love, the three piece’s soft edged psychedelia and disco dabbling from the new record will be the perfect way to close out an epic weekend.
You can check out Brisbane Central YHA Hostel here.
Adelaide
Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th December
My Disco
Saturday 5th December
Crown & Anchor, Adeliade
Tickets: MoshTix
You might want to take the Monday off instead if you are thinking that Adelaide might be a good place for a summer getaway as I’ve got you doing a Sat-Sun double header this time round kicking off with My Disco at the Crown & Anchor. The first time these guys have toured in a while, having released their fourth studio album Severe earlier this year the band are back on the road again. And thank god. The musical equivalent to concrete brutalism, don’t let the name fool you as there is nothing disco about this bad’s pulsating and relentless wall of sound performances.
Archie Roach
Sunday 6th Decmeber
The Gov, Adelaide
Tickets: The Gov
One of the most powerful performers ever to come out of this large brown land, Archie Roach is a national treasure. While not exactly party music, his performances are far from boring, his years of writing and performing songs giving him a powerfully captivating presence. His landmark song They Took The Children Away being added to the National Film and Sound Archive’s Sounds of Australia registry in 2013, his songs of suffering and hardship strike a strong chord today as our government only recently passed the amendment freeing children from detention in Nauru, ensuring they don’t repeat the mistakes that inspired Roach’s iconic song.
You can check out the Adelaide Central YHA Hostel here.
Perth
Friday 4th – Saturday 5th December
The Meanies
Friday 4th December
Amplifier, Perth
Tickets: Amplifier
So this one is going to be a pretty wild start to the weekend as not only are The Meanies one of the wildest punk bands to ever come out of Australia, but they are also playing at Amplifier’s Not So Sweet 16 celebrations. Shit will get real, trust me. Well known for their histrionic frontman Link Meanie’s often self injurious stage antics, The Meanies put on one hell of a show, especially when playing in front of an enthusiastic audience, which the birthday celebrations are sure to provide. With the rest of the line-up populated by local favourites and Amplifier regulars, this will also be a great chance to become more familiar with the side of the Perth music scene unaffiliated with Kevin Parker or John Butler.
Citizen Kay
Saturday 5th December
Jack Rabbit Slims
Tickets: On the door, with more info here
With Friday’s gig more than likely leaving you exhausted of all your punk energy, I figured a drastic change of genre would be in order, which is why rapper Citizen Kay is your second show for the weekend. His live show has already set many within the world of hip hop talking about a big future ahead of him, with industry veterans like Ice Cube and Public Enemy as well as contemporaries like Earl Sweathsirt, Run The Jewels and Danny Brown all seeking him out to join them on tour. He’s no stranger to Australia either, having toured with the likes of T’kay Maidza and Seth Sentry in the past, his impressive style and kinetic flow making him a favourite of hip hop heads in the know.
You can check out the Perth Central YHA Hostel here.
