Aarght Records and Cool Death Records banded together for a special Label of Love showcase, promising a night of animalistic lust for the lucky punters crammed into the Shadow Electric. Both labels boast a roster of some of the greatest punk and synth-driven bands playing in the country, and they’re united by an entirely independent ethos.
MC Aaron Gocs has the honour of introducing each band in between “serving up zingers from KFC” and complaining about a bad back. Tommy T and the Classical Mishaps are up first and seem to be missing their lead singer before he makes a late arrival to the stage. While it’s anyone’s guess what Tommy T is actually singing about, people are rapt in the chaos. Terry are next, who’ve been dubbed “Melbourne’s answer to Fleetwood Mac”. Clad in leather jackets and cowboy hats, the band play future classics from their upcoming album Terry HQ. Among these songs is 8 Girls, a raucous ode to women in Australian government.
Whipper mean business from the get-go, which means guitar strings go flying in minutes. Shit Love and White Glove are standouts and get the still relatively sober crowd moshing. Ausmuteants follow, serving up a generous dose of frenetic synth-punk and never once taking a moment to have a breather. As Nun set up, the crowd is quick to huddle closer to the stage. If you’ve never seen them before perhaps you wouldn’t think to do the same, but once lead singer Jenny Branagan starts howling you’ll quickly find yourself compelled to move forward.
Power take things to the next level, the crowd’s rowdiness increasing with each song played. It reaches its apex during Electric Glitter Boogie, which sees fists pumping, bodies falling and beer spilling everywhere. Orion end the night with their menacing synths and heavy bass lines, mesmerising and restoring the crowd in the process.
This gig shows that we have some seriously good bands releasing music in Australia thanks to labels like Aarght and Cool Death.
BY HOLLY PEREIRA
Loved: Jenny Branagan practically screaming in my face.
Hated: That everyone was taller than me.
Drank: Red wine out of a latte glass.
