Originating from Bundaberg, Queensland, Exotic Potion Cookies is a must-see indie band live.
Instead of a traditional bassist, the three piece (featuring Mr Civic – guitars, vox; Doctor G – bass keyboards, vox; and RBDG McElkinsan – drums) create their basslines through a keyboard exploring a range of tones to achieve their unique sound, which blends a concoction of alternative rock, metal, funk, hip hop and jazz.Their new album, 'That's Huge!', dropped last week and has already set the tone for their upcoming shows. "The first album was testing the waters, just working it out," Doctor G says.
"All of our music comes from jams, and those early jams were probably more experimental in some aspects in the way that we were trying to work out exactly what we were doing; but now, this new album is a lot more solidified, a lot more."
Collaborating with Mr Civic's pupil, Alex Wedel, on the album track 'Known?', the band only have praise for Alex's talent and ability. "He's 17 and he plays all crazy, sweeping solo stuff and all this really wild stuff," Doctor G says.
"We were umming and arring about putting a solo section in [the album]; and then we sort of went, 'well, why don't we collaborate with someone?' And who better than a young up-and-comer, to get him involved; and he can play as well as any of us – give him the opportunity to get involved and get onboard."
Exotic Potion Cookies have promised to bring both new tunes and old favourites with them on their upcoming Queensland shows for fans that they've built a bond with. "We've formed pretty strong bonds over the years with different people in these different places; and it's always great to go back and catch up with them, you know, and basically just have a big music party pretty much.
"It's like we're mates with the other bands and we have mates in the places as well. So it's like everyone gets together and we all just have a really good time."
The band is also part of the Brisbane festival Exotica Fest, which includes some of the best weird and eccentric talent from Cairns to Newcastle. "Our shows tend to reflect the nature of the music where they're very sporadic, they're very random. You know, anything can happen and we kind of just roll with it.
"I think one of the beautiful things is just having fun onstage, and when the artists are having fun, the audience is having fun."
Exotic Potion Cookies will also return to stages at the end of the year with a run of Pink Floyd cover shows playing 'The Wall', after their show in Bundaberg gained so much positive attention.
"A bunch of people all up and down the [Queensland] coast started hitting us up going, 'hey, you should bring that [Pink Floyd] show up here. You should bring it on the road sort of thing – and we're like, 'OK'. We did put a lot of work into it and there seems to be enough interest to try and take it on the road.
"This time around we're doing it again with Forest from Cairns, but they're actually performing 'Dark Side Of The Moon' in its entirety. So it'll be a full Pink Floyd sort of tribute night.
"It's our own interpretation of the album done in our own way, and literally due to popular demand, we're like, 'OK, let's do this, then be done with it'."
From their new album, Queensland launch shows and a Pink Floyd 'The Wall' cover tour, there's no denying Exotic Potion Cookies and their packed ending to 2024 has something for every rock and live music fan.
Exotic Potion Cookies 2024 Tour Dates
Fri 13 Sep - Allenstown Hotel (Rockhampton)Fri 20 Sep - Otherwise Bar (Townsville)
Sat 21 Sep - Elixir Music House (Cairns)
Thu 26 Sep - The Presynct (Sunshine Coast)
Fri 27 Sep - City Bowlo (Northern Rivers)
Sat 28 Sep - Exotica Fest @ Mansfield Tavern (Brisbane)
Fri 1 Nov - Otherwise Bar (Townsville)* performing Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'
Sat 2 Nov - Elixir Music House (Cairns)* performing Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'
Sun 3 Nov - The Platform (Ravenshoe)* performing Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'
Fri 15 Nov - Mansfield Tavern (Brisbane)* performing Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'
Sat 16 Nov - Star Court Theatre (Northern Rivers)* performing Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'
Fri 22 Nov - The Presynct (Sunshine Coast)* performing Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'
Sat 23 Nov - Old Bundy Tavern (Bundaberg)* performing Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'
Fri 6 Dec - Allenstown Hotel (Rockhampton)* performing Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'
Sat 7 Dec - Metropolitan Hotel (Mackay)* performing Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'
