You really couldn’t be prouder of Camp Cope. Selling out their hometown album launch and reaching #36 on the ARIA charts is certainly no easy feat, especially for a band still only 11 months old. Tonight was a celebration of these accomplishments, with the band treating their close friends and biggest fans to plenty of great music and an even greater sense of community.
The night started with the hypnotic synth-pop of Moon Rituals; a fitting opening act for a gig on Friday the 13th. The trio left you feeling as though you’d awoken from a blissful dream, with vocalist Sarah Hardiman’s animated moves capturing the attention of even the most restless punters. Followed up by Two Steps on the Water, there were very few chances to take your eyes away from the stage, with the band pouring every ounce of emotion into their music. Lead singer June Jones joked throughout the set, but it was her urgent screams that made the strongest connection. It’s always hard to walk away from their shows without goosebumps and tears in your eyes.
The night of trios continued with Wet Lips who delivered a cracking set of riotous rock‘n’roll. Lead singer Grace Kindellan referred to their songs as “bangers”, and there was unlikely anyone in the room who disagreed. Wet Lips proved to be saviours of the night, lending not only a bass amp but also a guitar when Camp Cope’s Georgia Maq broke a string.
Maq took to the stage solo to play the touching tribute Song for Charlie, with the rest of the band joining her to deliver a powerful version of Done. The most dedicated crowd members sang along to every lyric, with Maq looking up from time to time bashfully. Maq requested for all the women in the crowd to get closer before launching into Jet Fuel Can’t Melt Steel Beams, an anthem for reclaiming the streets and asserting your right to safety and respect. The rawness of the band’s new album was captured perfectly in the live setting, with each member’s passion translating into a commanding stage presence.
Closing the set with Stove Lighter and Lost (Season One), the band expressed their debt to the crowd and their label, Poison City Records. To put it simply, Camp Cope’s presence makes the Melbourne music scene a better place and their success is certainly well deserved.
BY HOLLY PEREIRA
Loved: The positive vibes.
Hated: The lack of space in the band room.
Drank: To the success of Camp Cope.
