Ahead of their set at Luliepalooza on Saturday November 23, Ryan Hammermeister from Platonic Sex chats all things Brisbane music scene, band preschool and being burgled in Melbourne.
Their hearts may belong in Brisbane, but Platonic Sex have undoubtedly gone global. These Queensland kids have had one hell of a year already, scaling the east coast of Australia before heading north of the equator to bring their Brissy rock aesthetics to the United Kingdom.
Beginning the year with a set at Brisbane’s edition of Laneway, Platonic Sex’s 2024 was already off to a major start. “Such a whirlwind time,” Ryan Hammermeister says about playing a slot at the sought-after day festival.
Platonic Sex at Luliepalooza
- Saturday, November 23
- Lulie Street and Victoria Park, Abbotsford
- Tickets here
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“It was one of the most nerve-wracking gigs, but it was such an amazing time and really cool to be in the festival environment. It made me keen to play more festivals, and I can see why artists are really drawn to keeping those festivals alive.”
Platonic Sex’s wish is Lulie Tavern’s command. The beloved Abbotsford haunt is bringing its roster of rising rockers to the streets on Saturday, November 23 with the fourth instalment of their Luliepalooza street party as presented by the 17-day musical extravaganza that is ALWAYS LIVE.
Featuring a lineup of beloved local musos, interstate icons and even an American appearance, the block party will be taking over Lulie Street and Victoria Park for a day of rock’n’roll, Bucking Bulls and mouth-watering food.
“I’ve heard a lot of good things around Luliepalooza,” Ryan says. “Around the culture of the festival, where it’s at, and how it’s got a good reputation. We’re really excited to be a part of that reputation.”
Born out of Brisbane in 2018, Platonic Sex’s three-piece ensemble – made up of Ryan, Jane Millroy and Bridget Brandolini – have spent the better part of this year hitting the kind of milestones many bands dream of. There’s playing at Laneway, for one, then opening for Noah Dillon on his Australian tour. Before they knew it, the band were taking their indie rock international.
“It was like band preschool again,” Ryan laughs describing the experience of touring Platonic Sex around the UK. “It was so scary. Especially [because] it’s just such a big place. Australia’s so far ahead [temporally] and it’s so far away and we are so isolated, we have our little bubble. I honestly felt so lucky to be in the music scene I am.”
Spending time away from home may have made them appreciate it a little more, but it seems like playing music away from home made them appreciate playing music at home tenfold. “It’s very unique and it’s very like loving here,” Ryan says about our domestic music industry. “Over there, it’s pretty scary. It’s the big fish over there, it feels like.”
If touring the UK was band preschool all over again, these guys can surely skip a couple of grades. Platonic Sex’s latest single, Hanging Out The Window, is a masterclass in songwriting that swells around and sprawls out of the warm cocoon of sound they’ve perfected.
“That was one of the quickest songs we’ve put together in, like, the history of the band,” Ryan says about the track. “It was at the start of the year in February, one of the last times we were in Melbourne.”
“Brando [Bridget Brandolini] was writing it and had this chorus and a verse. I remember putting it on my laptop as a demo. And then that afternoon, or maybe the next day, we got robbed in Melbourne. That laptop got stolen.”
“It’s just crazy. Then we were like, we have to release the song, we just gotta go back and we gotta push through. So, we did it again. It was one of the catchiest choruses and we just acted on it and doubled down. We were like, we’ve gotta get this out as soon as possible.”
From an incredible single release to playing all over the country and across the world, Ryan says that for now, the rest of the year will be all about “knuckling down and making sure we can produce the best product and make the [next] album as special as possible for 2025.” That is, after blowing the party up at Luliepalooza.
“We’re really keen for Luliepalooza,” Ryan adds. “I feel like we’re trying to really find some new crowds at the moment and open up a bit. I think we’re slowly pushing the bar of which gigs we wanna play, but also love the Brisbane scene and love playing there.”
“It’s always good to come back home, but it’s always good to go adventure and see what it’s like to play big stages. Yeah, keen for it all.”
For more information on Luliepalooza presented by ALWAYS LIVE, head here.
