Brisbane indie rockers Sweater Curse are part of a massive bill of quality Australian music who will feature as part of the inaugural Brisbane Winter Sessions – 6 days and nights of more than 30 free and ticketed events.
Set to land at some of the city's iconic music venues, Brisbane Winter Sessions (5-11 August) is a smorgasbord of diverse genres with more than 100 artists to perform in 16 venues.Those booked to play include Methyl Ethel, West Thebarton, Moaning Lisa, Last Dinosaurs, Thy Art Is Murder, Miiesha, Sahara Beck, Ian Haug (Powderfinger), First Beige, Ben Ely (Regurgitator), Trophy Eyes, Hayley Mary, The Dreggs, Jess B, Bad//Dreems, CW Stoneking, Fanny Lumsden and Young Franco.
Sweater Curse's Chris Langenberg is a proud Brisbanite (as are his fellow band members Mon and Rai) who doesn't mind sharing the virtues of the Sunshine State's capital city. Here, he has compiled a listicle of five reasons why Brisbane is the best city in the world.
"In case you didn't know, Sweater Curse are enormous Brisbane advocates. I often tell people about how I've been to a few cities in my time, but none compare to Brisbane.
"We recently charted as tenth most liveable city in the world. The Olympics might be coming to Brisbane.
"We have some of the best bands in Australia coming out of this city. We have some of the best music venues in the country. Everyone is friendly. The Brisbane Lions are doing well.
"Honestly, what's not to love?"
1: Music scene
Name another Australian city that has had some of the biggest, most influential Australian bands from the past and into current times. I'm sure you can, BUT are those bands better than The Go-Betweens, The Saints, Custard or Powderfinger? Probably not.That's not even mentioning the amazing current artists from Brisbane like The Jungle Giants, Ball Park Music, Confidence Man, Thelma Plum, WAAX, Violent Soho, Dune Rats, DZ Deathrays, Bugs, Sycco, Hope D, Beddy Rays, Last Dinosaurs, Hatchie, Cub Sport. . . The list could go on forever.
I have been in love with the Brisbane scene since I was in high school and as soon as I was allowed to I was at every show I could go to. I met some of my best friends from just going to shows in the Valley by myself to see bands like Jeremy Neale, Twin Haus, Babaganouj and Major Leagues to name a few.
While I was nervous about social interactions being freshly 18 at these shows by myself, it didn't take long to become friends with people within the scene because we all had mutual interests and a mutual love for local bands.
My favourite thing about music in Brisbane is that it really feels like a supportive scene. For example, last year there were a few debuts in the Hottest 100 from acts like Bugs, Hope D, Beddy Rays and Sycco.
It really felt like a win for every artist in Brisbane and it felt like it was celebrated by everyone that's played a show with one of those bands or known them from when they were playing at Ric's Bar years ago. I know I felt incredibly proud of everyone and super proud to be a part of the scene in this city.
2: Music Venues
Name another Australian city that BIGSOUND could happen in. I bet you can't.It's widely known within the industry that Brisbane is the most suitable for an event like that because we are so lucky to have so many music venues so close to each other. Going to see two or even three shows in a night is doable because you can walk between venues.
Sweater Curse has been lucky enough to play at most venues in Brisbane including venues that I have seen some of my favourite bands play. We have played at venues like The Tivoli, The Fortitude Music Hall, Black Bear Lodge, The Brightside, The Outpost, The Triffid, The Zoo and others.
It feels like Felons Barrel Hall is one of the only venues we haven't performed at and we can't WAIT to play there under the Story Bridge in August for Winter Sessions.
3: Story Bridge
Speaking of the Story Bridge, what an incredible feat of engineering over the always beautiful Brown Snake river.One of my favourite lyrics that I've written is for a new, unreleased Sweater Curse song and it's just talking about how nice the Story Bridge is when the sun's going down. Anyway, what a bridge. I love this city.
4: Parks & Pubs
Truly one of my favourite things to do is to go and sit in park and boy, does Brisbane have some parks.New Farm Park is a classic spot for a Sunday afternoon by the river and while it is beautiful, some other notable parks that you might find me sitting in on any given day include: Roma St Parklands, Victoria Park, Riverside Park in West End, or Orleigh Park in West End.
I've combined pubs into this because I was just thinking about how another one of my favourite things to do is to go and drink beers at Merthyr Bowls Club on an afternoon with pals and watch the sun go down on the river and say: 'Wow, what a city.'
5: Winter in Brisbane
For me, winter in Brisbane is the dream season. Clear, sunny blue skies (most days) and hitting a chilly maximum of 15 degrees (at its coldest) is pretty ideal to me. Not too hot to be outside and not too cold to have to stay inside.Anyway – Brisbane, what a city.
Update - 27 July, 2021: Due to the border closures Sweater Curse's show with RVG has been postponed to 24 September.
Sweater Curse join Melbourne's post-punks RVG and others at Felons Barrel Hall (Brisbane) on 24 September August (free entry); Brisbane Winter Sessions runs at various venues 5-11 August.
