Concrete Playground’s Guide to the Summer’s Best Sideshows
With the summer festival season upon us, here is CP's pick of the choicest international sideshows.
With the summer festival season firmly upon us, and the release of a new line-up almost every week, so too come the announcements of sideshows. For those of us who can't afford to go to every festival of the summer, sideshows are the best way to catch international artists who rarely make it to our shores.
Here are our picks for some of the shows not to miss.
Foals
Back in Sydney six months after their Splendour In The Grass tour, Foals are being fairly clear about their affection for Australia. The Oxford University dropouts make infectious and introspective dance punk, and their live shows have a reputation for being delightfully sweaty affairs. If you missed them last time they were here, you're being given a second chance we highly recommend you take.
The Enmore Theatre on Wednesday, February 9. More info
Deerhunter
Deerhunter are have produced yet another of the year's most talked about albums, Halcyon Digest. In Australia for the Laneway Festivals, their smaller shows always get phenomenal reviews: Karen O, of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, has described seeing Deerhunter live as "bordering on a religious experience."
The Metro Theatre on Tuesday, February 8. More info
Best Coast
Best Coast sound like summer in California in 1964. The catchy melodies and sun-drenched lyrics will make you beam. With their long-awaited album released earlier in July, Best Coast have been darlings of the music world all year. We couldn't think of any better band to see to on a hot Sydney summer night.
Oxford Art Factory on Monday, March 7. More info
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_fjMYI33E8Q
Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom plays the harp, sings like a fairy and covers topics as various as moonlight, eyelashes, daddy longlegs, peaches, plums, bears and butcher boys. Joanna Newsom sounds like no other, and this year's ambitious three-disc album Have One on Me, has cemented her place as one of the most original and beautiful musicians around.
City Recital Hall, Angel Place on Wednesday, March 9. More info
Beach House
Since the release of their third album, Teen Dream, earlier this year, Beach House have become one of the most raved about acts around. And rightly so. With ethereal melodies and vocals which drift like cigarette smoke in a cathedral, Beach House have grown up and gained legions of admirers around the world. With two Sydney sideshows, one of which will be held in the beautiful City Recital Hall, Beach House are touted to one of the highlights of the Sydney Festival.
Beck's Festival Bar on Wednesday, January 26. SOLD OUT
City Recital Hall, Angel Place - Thursday, January 27. Waiting List available
https://youtube.com/watch?v=KXP3y1eH-M0
Warpaint
Warpaint are a California-based band of four pretty girls with long hair whose lullabies linger in your ears long after their songs have stopped playing. With their debut album entitled The Fool released this year, Warpaint are slowly beginning to gain more attention, and casting a spell over all who listen to them. Playing a small venue like Oxford Art Factory, they're sure to be beautiful.
Oxford Art Factory on Wednesday, February 9. More info
Other shows we recommend you check out include:
Washed Out – Thursday, December 9 at Oxford Art Factory
The Morning Benders – Tuesday, January 4 at Oxford Art Factory
Sleigh Bells – Saturday, January 8 at The Forum
Kitty, Daisy and Lewis – Sunday, January 9 and Tuesday, January 11 at The Famous Spiegeltent
HEALTH - Thursday, January 20 at Beck's Festival Bar
Holy Fuck – Thursday, January 27 at Becks Festival Bar
M.I.A – Friday, January 28 at the Metro Theatre
Blonde Redhead – Saturday, January 29 at the Sydney Opera House
Two Door Cinema Club – Monday, February 7 at the Enmore Theatre
Yeasayer - Monday, February 7 at The Metro Theatre
Ariel Pink - Wednesday, February 9 at Manning Bar
Les Savy Fav - Thursday, February 10 at Manning Bar
Toro Y Moi - Wednesday, February 23 at GoodGod Small Club
Wavves – Wednesday, March 9 at Manning Bar