Wesley Anne's indie sleaze night promises gritty guitars and dreamy synths this Saturday 26 July.
The Northcote venue will transform into a nostalgic indie playground as part of the ongoing WES 22 Fest, celebrating the raw energy and emotional intensity that defined the indie sleaze movement of the early 2000s. Indie sleaze brings together eight carefully curated acts who embody the genre’s signature blend of distorted guitars, atmospheric synthesisers and melancholic vocals.
The afternoon-to-evening event showcases both established and emerging artists who channel the moody aesthetic that made indie sleaze a cultural phenomenon. The lineup promises to deliver the authentic sound that captured a generation’s angst and romanticism, with each act bringing their own interpretation of the genre’s distinctive characteristics.
Indie sleaze at Wesley Anne
- Where: Wesley Anne Bandroom, 250 High St, Northcote
- When: Saturday 26 July, from 2pm
- Cost: Free entry
The free lineup
- Kook Joey
- Maxwell Brady
- Fenn Wilson And The Weather
- Nir Tsfaty
- Hymn And Her
- Romanie
- Malibu Spacey
- Happy Axe
Check out our gig guide here.
Indie sleaze originated as a musical movement in New York City during the early 2000s, spearheaded by bands who combined raw indie rock with electronic elements and dance-punk sensibilities. Groups like The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Interpol pioneered this sound, which drew heavily from 1960s and 1970s rock while incorporating modern synthesisers and a deliberately unpolished aesthetic. The movement quickly expanded beyond music to encompass fashion, photography, and nightlife culture, becoming synonymous with American Apparel clothing, amateur flash photography, and the hedonistic party scenes of clubs and underground venues across New York and London.
The cultural phenomenon reached its peak during the mid-to-late 2000s, coinciding with the global financial crisis when young people gravitated towards its anti-establishment ethos and affordable fashion choices. Interestingly, the actual term “indie sleaze” wasn’t used during this original era – it was coined much later in 2021 by social media users looking back nostalgically at the period. The movement experienced an unexpected revival in the early 2020s, particularly on TikTok and Instagram, as a new generation discovered the aesthetic and began reinterpreting it for contemporary audiences. This resurgence has been partly attributed to post-pandemic desires for authentic self-expression and rebellious partying culture, contrasting sharply with the polished minimalism that dominated social media in the preceding years.
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