As an iconic Melbourne venue with one of the largest capacities in the city, it was easy to predict the magnitude of The Corner’s 20th Birthday fiesta. With the newly refurbished rooftop revealed just in time for the first taste of summer, the venue pulsed with cheery though slightly sun-scorched punters. To keep everybody guessing, The Corner hosted a delightfully mixed bill of performers spanning across the afternoon.
The fun times started off nice and early, when the upstairs beer garden quickly became the go-to spot for the perfect Sunday session. It took some serious musical talent to lure the crowd downstairs, though thanks to stellar acts like Melbourne’s Jarrow this didn’t prove too difficult.
Loud and fast, punk five-piece Lazertits took things up a notch with a blistering set in the bandroom, which of course included their track Boss Bitch – for which they recently released a totally bad-arse video. The girls indulged in mischievous banter between songs, and were clearly having a blast with throaty gang vocals and plenty of sass.
As people drifted between the stages and rooftop, a definite summer vibe took over The Corner despite not quite yet hitting December. A chilled set from Liz Mitchell coasted the crowd through to the early evening, with vibrating though delicate vocals.
Next up were Billy Davis – the smoothest eight-piece in town. Of note was an impressive flute solo, paired with the vocal talents of two singers and one rapper. If you haven’t yet discovered these guys, you should definitely treat yourself stat. Not only will you feel cooler than a cucumber, you’ll be impressed by how so many musicians manage to remain so effortlessly in sync.
As the beers flowed and the sun fell, one act in particular took everyone by surprise. Brisbane’s Confidence Man kicked off with a mysterious start, with both the mixer and drummer shrouded in veils. As the party beats gained momentum, suddenly two vocalists appeared. With larger than life, totally co-ordinated dance moves, the entire crowd were soon packing out the dancefloor. The only downside to their set was that everybody’s cheeks seemed to be hurting from smiling too much by the end.
The night was far from over, with DJ sets going well into the evening. It’s safe to say The Corner know how to put on one hell of a birthday bash. The best part? It was all totally free – making for a bloody ripper of a Sunday.
Words by Bel Ryan
Image by Ian Laidlaw
Highlight: Lazertits’ swapping vocalists/instruments/generally being cool ladies.
Lowlight: That more people didn’t catch Billy Davis.
Crowd Favourite: Confidence Man.
