Melbourne rocker Annaliese Redlich and her homegrown punk band Lothario are laying down a setlist of their best and most badass tracks at this year’s Leaps & Bounds Music Festival.
Conceived in her bedroom in late 2022, Lothario is the mouthpiece for Annaliese’s feminist punk anthems for the listless and reckless. Giving voice to raw hedonism and personal demons, Lothario has confirmed its presence on the Naarm live music circuit and continues to unleash many a trick from up its ripped denim sleeve.
Hosted by the City of Yarra, Leaps & Bounds Music Festival is an event showcasing established and up-and-coming artists within the region. A highlight of the Victorian live music calendar, it’s an event close to Annaliese’s heart.
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“For me, being in that area all the time,” she tells me over the phone from a holiday in Bali, “being around all of these amazing bands putting on these incredible shows… To me, it’s just a celebration of what happens, day-in, day-out, in Naarm, in Yarra.”
Lothario’s upcoming performance at Leaps & Bounds promises a popular showcase of favourite hits, with much for diehard fans to look forward to, but there is also one other, major piece of news.
“The most exciting thing,” Annaliese practically sings through the phone, “is that we have a brand-new member! Beth is our new bass player, it’s her first show. We’re super thrilled that she’s our newest member, and we can’t wait for her to make her live debut with us.”
Another shuffle among the ranks is that Lothario’s former bassist, Elsa, is now the new lead guitarist, with the upcoming performance at Leaps & Bounds representing the band’s first gig within this new format.
“Everybody fucking rips,” Annaliese assures me. “I can’t wait to birth this new incarnation of Lothario! We are definitely working on new songs at the moment – we might drop a new track – but the new lineup, that’s incredibly hot. A huge thing.”
This new evolution of Annaliese’s onstage presence is only the latest post within a lifelong passion for performance and music. From her earliest indulgences as a child, belting out from the backseat of her parents’ car as they played cassette tapes, to miming along to her favourite songs in her room, the bug for singing has always been a part of her life.
“Tina Turner was my icon when I was a kid,” she reflects with a warm laugh. “I didn’t think I could sing at first, but then I realised in hindsight that it was exactly what I wanted to be doing.
“I just love sharing something live with the audience – just jumping into the audience, seeing that look in people’s eyes of unbridled excitement.”
Annaliese’s passion for live music is well-placed within Melbourne, given its scarcely contested reputation as the live entertainment capital of Australia. Annaliese herself goes so far as to say that the city is, in fact, the live music capital of the world.
Having toured Lothario across different parts of the US and Europe, experiences that she cites as unforgettable and a valuable contrast to Melbourne, she still underlines there isn’t anything else like the music scene to be found down under.
“Some of those cities are pretty amazing, but Naarm has it going on 24/7! That is not something to soon forget, and not something to take for granted,” Annaliese says, underlining that without the crowds who attend the shows in the first place, she wouldn’t be able to do what she loves.
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Going to these shows and showing support with feet on the ground and hands in the air is what keeps the live music ecosystem alive and kicking. Annaliese cites a track she recorded by herself in a studio, which she felt was a decidedly lo-fi experience, but when performed with all members of Lothario it gained the depth and sonic texture of a five-piece band.
“Live music is about connecting with your community, connecting with other people that love what you do,” she emphasises, “and it’s also about discovery. You’re not always going to know every band that you’re going out to see!”
Melbournians will be well-served to make their own musical discoveries and catch Lothario the next time they light up a stage near you.
Lothario is playing on 24 July at the Old Bar as part of Leaps and Bounds. Get tickets here.
