Day four of Sydney’s coveted SXSW meant many things. Firstly, everyone had become more aware and in tune with the layout, as I spotted the same faces while bouncing around the city to different venues—a rat race to catch the coolest acts, if you will. The highly anticipated Peking Duk show at The Commons had drawn a sizeable crowd out front, while the unrelated Olivia Rodrigo show saw thousands of fans moving across the city.
Kicking off the night at The Lansdowne, I caught the magnificent Pyra, the dystopian pop singer. Pyra is known for her politically charged lyrics, calling out capitalism to the backing track of what sounds like a dystopian space-themed video game. Her performance was awesome, despite some sound issues, but she quickly bounced back, pulling us into her glittering tech-princess universe.
On the way to The Underground, I stopped by The Abercrombie Hotel to catch Taiwanese duo Scattered Purgatory, whose sound was the definition of a contemplative, haunting melody. They held the room in an almost foreboding stance, enveloping us in their atmospheric waves.
I was excited to capture Central Australia’s number-one glam-rock band, Mulga Bore Hard Rock, as they took over the Rolling Stone House. Our Deb Pelser covered them earlier in the week, calling the six-piece “brothers, cousins, and unapologetic glam rock revivalists” who “brought a ferocity that felt equal parts KISS swagger and Guns N’ Roses grit”—a perfect encapsulation.
After a quick jog across the CBD, I found the packed room under The Chippo, where Berlin Psycho Nurses had entranced the crowd with their epic post-punk sound. They can definitely be described as “your favourite artist’s artist,” as the crowd was full of familiar faces from previous nights’ performances. This was clearly the place to be. “The Den” is a tight space with minimal lighting and no aircon, exactly where you’d want to experience the five-piece as they shredded, pounded, and screamed—moving faster than you could imagine until they were unable to push any further.
Back at The Lansdowne, FACESOUL was welcoming a crowd into his glowing aura. I can’t emphasise enough the calmness his presence brought after such a frantic dash through the city. Walking the audience through his process, he seemingly cleansed our souls with his beautiful a cappella, looping in a variety of nature sounds until a lush environment of calm-pop unfolded before us.
