Melbourne favourites Bananagun are coming to Brunswick Ballroom for what promises to be a stellar show on Sunday April 24, where they'll be supported by Sweet Whirl.
Bananagun are a familiar name to those tapped into the Melbourne scene, after releasing their debut full-length The True Story of Bananagun in 2020 to top-marks all round. They haven’t dropped any tracks since 2020, so we’ll all be eagerly awaiting to see if any new material slips through at the Ballroom, but their debut record left a tangible impact, with our review noting; “From the opening rumble of ‘Bang Goes The Bongos’, with its spiralling chords and skittering rhythms, through to the propulsive frenzy of ‘Modern Day Problems’, and past the soul-tinged standout ‘Out of Reach’, where Van Bakel’s sandy croak fully opens to beam with wide-eyed earnestness, Bananagun hold us captivated with every unexpected tempo shift and joyous freakout.
“Australia has always been a hotspot for inventive psychedelia, but with the staggering influence of Tame Impala and King Gizzard looming large over the past few years, the style has threatened to meander towards something slightly more predictable. However, the release of The True Story of Bananagun is a radiant reminder of the genre’s fertility, and a thrilling debut from one of our country’s best.”
Check out Melbourne’s most comprehensive gig guide here.
Bananagun are led by Nick Van Bakel and have evolved from bedroom ruminations into a fully-fledged five-piece. Van Bakel cut his teeth with cult garage group The Frowning Clouds, which also featured members who went on to play in Hierophants, ORB and Ausmuteants, but now Bananagun feature Jimi Gregg (drums), Jack Crook (guitar/vocals), Charlotte Tobin (djembe/percussion) and Josh Dans (bass).
They’ll be joined by Sweet Whirl, the project of highly-talented local and former member of Superstar and Scott & Charlene’s Wedding, Esther Edquist, who also released an acclaimed debut album in 2020: How Much Works. She counts the likes of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Jean-Paul Sartre and Sheryl Crow among her various inspirations, and will provide a delightful supplement to Bananagun’s genre-blurring kaleidoscopic pop.
Buy tickets to see Bananagun and Sweet Whirl in the Brunswick Ballroom here.
In partnership with Brunswick Ballroom.
