Last Friday (July 8) saw an exciting collaboration of Oz rock royalty, Hockey Fields, take the stage at Melbourne’s iconic Forum for a truly memorable night of live music.
Co-headliners Hockey Dad and Ruby Fields were joined by Sydney rockers Dear Seattle, as well as Melbourne’s very own Armlock. The latter was the first of the four acts to hit the stage.
Armlock, whose debut record Trust was released just over two years ago, is an indie rock band consisting of guitarist Hamish Mitchell and frontman Simon Lam. Joined onstage by Georgia Smith (playing bass) and Ollie Cox (on drums), Lam and Mitchell’s live performance saw each song delivered with the same air of gentle genius that characterises their studio recordings. A personal favourite band and one of my most-listened to artists of this year so far, Armlock’s music combines distorted instrumentals and digital sound effects with Lam’s soft and poignant vocals– the outcome is a beautiful and instantly recognisable Armlock sound.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
A little shy, incredibly gracious, and completely in their element on stage; the band charmed the crowd with tracks like April and Power Of A Waterfall, as well as a slightly up-tempo cover of Coldplay’s ‘The Scientist,’ which the band made their own with the help of some heavier instrumentals and Smith’s stunning harmonies. Armlock were an engaging and wonderful opening for the incredible night ahead.
Next up was Dear Seattle. By the time this Sydney four-piece came on stage, the room had filled up rapidly and almost completely. Hailing from the Northern Beaches, the band is made up by vocalist and guitarist Brae Fisher, drummer Josh McKay, lead guitarist Lachlan Simpson, and bassist Jeremy Baker. With only two weeks passed since the release of their latest single, Nothing’s Stopping Me Now, it was heartwarming to see the ecstatic look on frontman Brae Fisher’s face when he noticed the crowd singing the lyrics along with him.
The dive into Afterthought from the band’s 2017 self-titled EP saw the energy in the room step up a level, with hands punching into the air and feet leaving the ground. Their cover of Missy Higgins’ legendary track The Special Two was undoubtedly a crowd favourite, eliciting the first of many of instances of moshing for the night.
Performed for Triple J’s Like A Version back in 2019, Dear Seattle’s rendition of the song is exhilarating and distinctive, characterised by its heavy drums as well as Fisher’s gravelly vocals and strong Aussie drawl. Finally, the crowd gave their all for arguably two of the band’s most anthemic tracks, The Meadows (“Fuck being sad / I’m so over it”) and Daytime TV (“But I know that I should suffer / ‘Cause WikiHow is saying that to be a good lover / I have to understand my lover’s boundaries”), and were left absolutely buzzing for the main events.
It was finally time for Ruby Fields, indie rock powerhouse and the first of the event’s two headline acts. Joined by bandmates Patrick Rogers on drums, Adam Newling on lead guitar and Tas Wilson bass, Fields’s set had the entire Forum brimming with energy from beginning to end. Opening with the rousing Ritalin (“Doesn’t it suck, growing up? / Doesn’t she know it?”), it was the first of several gems Fields pulled from her 2018 EP Your Dad’s Opinion for Dinner for the set, along with some personal favourites, I Want and Redneck Lullaby. About halfway through her set, Ruby informed the crowd that since her “manager’s not here tonight,” she would play us a couple new ones.
Endlessly charming, funny, and genuine with her audience, she muttered: “Fuck it.” Both mystery tracks were wonderful, as one might expect, showcasing Fields’ bewitching raspy vocals and raw, unfiltered songwriting style.
Fields used her time between songs to further hype up the crowd, asking us if we were excited to see her co-headliners and longtime friends, Hockey Dad. The most recent time before this event where I had the pleasure of seeing these two on the same line-up was last year at NYE On The Hill, where the boys from Hockey Dad brought Ruby & co. out on stage to perform an outstanding cover of The Clash’s Train In Vain together. Now, on their very own shared tour, Fields tells the crowd that she and Hockey Dad “love each other so much,” a sweet testament to this night as a true celebration of music and friendship.
Continuing her set with a few more of her most anthemic and well-loved tunes like Dinosaurs (“I used to love dinosaurs when I was a kid / I wasn’t afraid, I was brave and courageous with everything I did”) and Trouble (“Forgot to shave, now I got stubble / ‘Cause smooth legs are too much trouble”), Fields brought a new vivid spark to the audience which, without a doubt, lingered for the entire remainder of the evening.
To close out the night, indie Oz rock kings Hockey Dad hit the stage at last. Born and raised in Windang, New South Wales, the band consists of childhood best mates Zach Stephenson, on guitar and vocals, and Billy Fleming, on drums (and occasional vocals). Joined onstage by touring bassist Steve Bourke, the duo dove straight into their first three songs (one from each of their three studio albums) with no formal introduction nor interruption. Their style ranging from fun-loving surf rock (I Need A Woman, Babes) to angsty grunge (Itch) to garage punk (Homely Feeling’, Hockey Dad evidently continue to experiment with and refine their own sound as their career progresses. More importantly, they make every style and subgenre work for them in a way that feels simultaneously effortless and exciting, both in the studio and on stage.
Each time I get to see Hockey Dad live in concert, drummer Billy Fleming is without fail one of the most joyful performers I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. Grinning from ear-to ear throughout the entire length of their set, Fleming’s energy on stage is contagious, the charm of his demeanour complemented and deepened by his sheer talent behind the kit.
His counterpart, Zach Stephenson, is no less entertaining nor impressive to watch. His live vocals are astounding– warm, raspy, and belting with ease. Stephenson’s songwriting is similarly remarkable, their tracks often being deeply honest, emotional, and lyric-forward. I was overjoyed and so pleasantly surprised when the duo performed Danny, a rarely-played tune from their sophomore album Blend Inn, and my all-time favourite of their songs.
Keeping the crowd in a state of bliss throughout the entire set, and even going so far as to bring a lucky fan up on stage for one song (Sweet Release, where Fleming leads on vocals), Hockey Dad were nothing short of excellent. Leaving the roomful of spectators wanting more well after the encore had come and gone, Hockey Fields was a lovely occasion, and definitely one for the ages.
Keep up to date with all things Hockey Dad and Ruby Fields.
