Friday night at The Triffid was a struggle, but a struggle worthwhile. It was day 3 of BIGSOUND, I was hungover, I had impending uni assessment and a torrential rainstorm was closing in, but still I sauntered on down to check out not 1 or 2, but 5 of the best picks of BIGSOUND playing in an epic closing party, with extended sets. Filling up the night was Gideon Bensen, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Alex Lahey, Good Boy and Flowertruck.

Starting off the night on a good note was Sydney-sider Gideon Bensen and band. Gideon only has a small following on social media, but his music packs a huge punch. Achieving a massive sound for a 3-piece band, he brought punters in from all over the Triffid. Slightly synth/rock, he had such a great stage presence and even played some album tracks, which is always a nice surprise at festivals like BIGSOUND, as artists never get enough time to showcase their talent and stick to the fan favourites. I was reminded a bit by his aesthetic of my ‘scene’ days, and it feels like the kind of band that would have been popular amongst 13-year-old girls, which mind you, is not a bad target audience in the slightest. He finished off his set with his main single Cold Cold Heart, which is incredibly catchy, and does the recorded arrangement justice. I had a little groove and a great time. 

Next up on the night was Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, a four piece this time, with even more punch than Gideon Bensen. Melbournites and you can tell, this band got the whole room jumping. I almost spilt my beer with the ferocity of my dance moves, but it was well worth it. The punchy guitars, strong vocals and funky bass lines of their songs were groovy and full of catchy hooks. Pop punk has never been my favourite genre but whatever these guys added to their songs rocked. The pumping synths and fast guitar riffs rounded out their set and captured their sound completely. I definitely danced off the beers I had drunk by this point. 

Up next was my favourite artist on the lineup – Alex Lahey. I didn’t get to catch her set during the previous two days of BIGSOUND, so I was pretty stoked to be able to see her on the Friday. She opened her set with original single Airmail, which went off. Her guitar skills are exceptional and her band is so tight. She then played the title track of sorts from her new EP, Ivy League, which as a poor uni student, is probably the most relatable song I have ever heard in my whole life. What I love about Alex Lahey is the utter bluntness of her songs – she tells it exactly like it is with no sugar coating, and combines it with punchy guitar riffs, which is how to start a party. She also played some unreleased songs that are always a treat, some that I had heard before at other gigs, and some that I heard for the first time. Perth Traumatic Stress Disorder was an incredibly funny but somehow awkwardly relatable slammer of a song, and two of my favourite songs I Haven’t Been Taking Care Of Myself and Every Day’s The Weekend (also scarily relatable). She also played crowd favourite Let’s Go Out and finished off her absolutely fire set with You Don’t Think You Like People Like Me which prompted the audience to dance, sing along and go crazy. Despite being third in the lineup (and my slightly biased opinion), Alex Lahey was for me, the highlight of the closing party.

Having the tough spot of having to follow Alex Lahey were local band Good Boy. There were quite a few local bands on the BIGSOUND lineup this year, but to be chosen to play at the closing party I could imagine would be quite a prestigious feat, and not one that Good Boy wasted at all. Alternative music is my jam, and Good Boy did not disappoint. Lyrics about the real world, punchy guitars, dirty bass lines and a real ‘garage rock’ feel gave Good Boy such a good atmosphere. They bordered on political rock, which is something that isn’t very big in Australia, but should really be a thing. The Triffid was pretty full at this point and the audience was thriving (or perhaps just seeking refuge from the rain – we will never know). Good boy kept smashing out banger after banger until they closed with their single Poverty Line. Good Boy are definitely a band to watch.

Despite being tired and slightly intoxicated, I soldiered on to watch the final band of the night, Flowertruck. Their hazy hippy, yet fast paced upbeat rock hits you all at once. A four-piece band, they punched out some absolutely incredible sounds, which filled the Triffid with excited cheers and sweaty, dancing bodies. Possibly the best part of their sound was the virtuosity of their female synth player, who was making me seriously envious of not only her skills, but also her gear. The comeback of synth pop/rock is really happening and bands like this are revolutionising the sound of the 2010’s. They filled out their set with some tracks off their EP, and their fan favourite singles, Candide, Sunshower and I Wanna Be With You. From what was probably a humble beginning, Flowertruck is a force to be reckoned with (and are probably the reason my legs were so sore the next day). 

The Triffid is always pumping and this was no exception to that rule. BIGSOUND never fails to deliver on the quality artists and I’m excited to see where these five will end up. All in all, an excellent night. 

- Olivia Shoesmith