Live Review: Northeast Party House, Crooked Colours, Paces, Wax Witches, Problems

The Beastie Boys may have fought for our right to party, but Northeast Party House will give them a run for their money on Any Given Weekend.

Local lads Problems were the first in a five-strong woozy electronica line-up, kicking off with a super-tight 20-minute set of tunes from their debut EP, For The Ages. Unfortunately for the band, they were only privy to a small and somewhat inattentive crowd.

There was a sudden change of pace when Wax Witches graced the stage, wooing the crowd with their signature ear-bending music. Paces followed suit, seamlessly gliding from the Julian EP to his current collaboration with YOUTH in his DJ set. 
The changeovers however were not as smooth and Crooked Colours experienced a slight delay. The UniBar is traditionally an acoustic venue and as such, has always presented a challenge for electronica acts. Nonetheless, the Perth-based trio were able to Come Down with the goods. They previewed new material and winked at the ladies before playing a tribute to Crystal Castles.

By now the crowd was more than warmed up, literally – the UniBar was hotter, sweatier and rowdier than before. Northeast Party House strutted onto the stage and immediately launched into Sick Boy. Vocalist Hamilton-Reeves is to be commended for his onstage persona, executing dance moves that were a little bit geeky but when paired with his Kele from Bloc Party-esque vocals, he was the most dapper bloke in the room. He was ably assisted by his just as dapper band mates, who were influential in getting the audience to fist pump and chant out. They even attempted to crowd surf on an inflatable boat, which awkwardly collapsed, leaving the bassist to ‘drown’ in the sweaty sea of over-energised fans. The final night of the Kick Ons tour cemented the band’s reputation as an exciting live act that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. The crowd were consistently on their feet all night but were most impressive when bellowing out the super infectious lyrics of Youth Allowance. Subsequently, they were treated to the quintet’s dance-up Like A Version of Violent Soho’s Covered In Chrome, where Hamilton-Reeves showed off another facet of his band’s musical capabilities.


Although The UniBar’s acoustic setting could’ve dampened the night’s overall vibe, the Kick Ons tour was a beat-bashing frenzy that ended on a high and positive note.