In an era where nostalgia often feels like a cheap trick, BANKS proved at Melbourne's Northcote Theatre that revisiting the past can be nothing short of transcendent.
The California-bred alt-pop enigma delivered a sold-out celebration (26 November) of her debut album 'Goddess', marking its 10th anniversary with a performance that balanced raw emotion, theatrical energy, and undeniable star power.The room was thick with fog as the night began, the kind of haze that makes you wonder if you've stumbled into another dimension. Then, in a flash of red light, she appeared: BANKS, shrouded in mystery and rocking a black dress and gloves that screamed understated drama.
From the first notes of 'Alibi', it was clear this wasn't going to be a routine greatest-hits night. This was a reckoning.
BANKS tore into the set list with precision, layering fan favourites like 'Goddess' and 'Brain' with an intensity that felt fresh, even a decade later. Her voice, both ethereal and commanding, filled every corner of the venue, particularly during 'Waiting Game'. With strobing lights and convulsive movement, she surrendered herself entirely to the music, dragging the audience into her world.
"This next one is special," she said, sitting down at a piano to play 'Someone New'. BANKS confessed the song once felt too vulnerable to perform live – a sentiment that, given the pin-drop silence in the room, hit hard.
However, vulnerability is her strength and as she played, bathed in a solitary spotlight, the intimacy was overwhelming. It was the kind of moment that reminds you why live music matters.
Of course, BANKS didn't keep things quiet for long. 'Beggin For Thread' turned the room into a frenzy, her fans screaming every lyric back at her as she prowled the stage like she owned it – which, by the way, she did. It was a reminder for all, despite her introspection, BANKS knows how to deliver a banger.
While this was a night for 'Goddess' diehards, she didn't shy away from newer material. An unreleased song made its debut, a gutsy move that paid off as the crowd hung on every note.
For the encore, she closed with 'I Hate Your Ex-Girlfriend', the fiery, unrelenting single from her upcoming album 'Off With Her Head'. BANKS demanded the audience's hands in the air, and they obeyed, the theatre vibrating with cathartic energy.
As the night ended, BANKS tossed flowers into the crowd – a symbolic passing of gratitude to the fans who've stuck with her through every sonic evolution. In celebrating 'Goddess', she wasn't just looking back; she was reframing the album as the foundation of something much larger.
Ten years on, BANKS is still building, still experimenting, and still breaking our hearts in the best possible way. BANKS doesn't just play a show; she immerses you in her world. In Melbourne, that world was moody, electric, and absolutely unforgettable.
