Formed out of the dark pits of lockdown, Radio Free Alice is one of the most exciting up-and-coming bands in Melbourne right now.
With a penchant for raw, energetic gigs, they’re the kind of band who value the sweaty gig floor and the lasting experiences found within.
Think of bands like the Strokes or the Libertines with their killer riffs and catchy hooks mixed with the jangly post-punk bands of the New Order and the Smiths.
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Since forming in 2021, Radio Free Alice have hit the ground running. Consisting of Noah Learmonth (vocals/guitar), Jules Paradiso (guitar), Michael Phillips (bass/saxophone) and Lochie Dowd (drums), they have performed in major venues with Royel Otis, The Snuts, Django Django and Sorry, in addition to showcases at BIGSOUND and SXSW Sydney.
Upon meeting the four guys in your typical Brunswick pub, I was immediately struck by how refreshingly soft-spoken they were, with an infectious passion for some of their biggest influences.
“The big reason we all wanted to play music together in the first place was our shared love, generally for that ’80s post-punk and even more contemporary rock,” says Jules.
“It was great when these guys were already on the same wavelength,” Noah continued. “I was like, ‘I love that shit, let’s make it.’” Noah’s vocals capture these influences innately, with a raw, expressive singing pattern in the mould of Morrissey or Ian Curtis.
Although, with their debut EP and recent release, Polyester, the band drew from their inspirations to craft a fresh sound that is distinctly their own, using their post-punk influence as a backdrop to explore their own alluring, energising brand of music.
Importantly though, what sets Radio Free Alice apart are their vigorous performances. Although they have a presence on social media presence, they describe running it more out of reluctance than anything else. For Radio Free Alice, the connections you get from a gig have always been paramount.
“We’ve always been consciously trying to push our shows. We feel that’s the most genuine way to market ourselves,” says bassist Michael.“The word of mouth you get from doing these live shows is way more powerful than anything else.”
“There’s something so tangible about playing our music,” adds Noah. “Our last show at the Night Cat was just like that — it was great and had a really sick atmosphere.”
“Previously with new songs, we’ll often write them that week and test them live on the weekend to see what works. You know, throw it against the wall and see if it sticks in that setting,” says Lochie. “I feel like if it goes really well live, then you may as well spend some time on it.”
Continuing to push their scope for touring, Radio Free Alice just wrapped their first international tour. A whirlwind outing through Europe and the United Kingdom that included performances at Rock For People, The Great Escape, Dot To Dot and Live at Leeds festivals.
For a band as fresh as Radio Free Alice, this was their Beatles in Hamburg moment – a chance to rapidly hone their live performances while also broadening their fanbase.
“The whole experience. The fans, the venues… We played 30 shows in two months and tried to do as much as we could in such a limited amount of time,” says Noah.
Admittedly, having caught their shows before and after Europe, they are clearly a more focused live band now. The band even admits they see themselves moving permanently to England in the near future as a way to further accelerate their profile in the heartland of their biggest inspirations.
“London and even Manchester are like the meccas for post-punk and indie rock, all our influences. They’re both massive cities and so many people appreciate indie rock over there.”
“I think we fit in better over there than we do in Australia,” says Noah. “We can’t really change that. I wish all of Australia was like the music scene in Melbourne — I’d love that to be the case, but unfortunately, there just isn’t the infrastructure.”
Listening to the band speak about their decision to relocate overseas, they seemed quite mournful. Almost as if they’re caught between their strong ambitions for success and an admiration for the Australian music scene.
“It’s kind of sad because I’ve felt critical of when good live bands move overseas. It’s like, fuck, we need that talent here so we can lift everyone else up,” says Noah.
“We can’t really change our own population. It’s so much more dense in Europe where you can just drive two hours and play in a completely different venue.”
Nonetheless, before returning to Europe, Radio Free Alice still has a big year ahead in Melbourne. They’ve got their first arena shows on the horizon – they’ve recently been announced as the openers for The Killers on their Live In Australia tour.
Describing their future goals, Radio Free Alice said they want to tour the world, play major festivals and eventually release their debut album.
“It will be our first record, and this collection of 10 or 12 songs has been in the works over the course of a year — refining, relooking and reshaping. But I think we’re getting to the stage now where it’s starting to come together quite well,” says Noah.
“I want it to be more conceptual, less earnest than the past. We want our first album to be quite a statement, in our own way. We’ve always had grand ambitions and we just want to keep seeing how far we can take it.”
Don’t miss Radio Free Alice with The Killers at Rod Laver Area on December 12, 13 and 14. Grab tickets here.
