Modular Records have a long history behind them of throwing the coolest parties in the country, and Club MOD, a showcase of new additions to their artist roster, is no exception. Entering The Forum, one can expect to be surrounded by hundreds of trendoids who’ve ditched their bright tshirts of yesteryear in favour of faux black leather jackets (or hey, they might be real! most of the people have more money than sense). The Modular DJs do a a great job of reminding punters why they’re here in the first place; spinning obscure remixes of The Rapture, The Presets, Cut Copy and other hipster anthems which Modular helped drill into the national consciousness. And then, just as we’re about to lose our heads over a MSTRKRFT song we haven’t heard in two years, the lights dim and Ladyhawke takes the stage.
According to those who are in the know, this diminutive girl is the next big thing to blow up the charts, especially given her NZ/USA roots and Ting-Tings-esque hairdo. Most people have only heard Paris is Burning, which won’t feature in the set for quite a while. In the meantime what we get is a very good-looking but obviously very nervous frontwoman, who is at great pains to match the intensity of her SoCal backing band. With the drummer dropping double kicks in everywhere he can and a bassplayer going for his life, Ladyhawke’s band eclipse her entirely, which may be attributed to the fact that whoever is doing sound is probably indulging in lines of Special K behind the desk. The songs are strong, very punk-driven and a lot stronger than I’d expect from a cross-over indie star. But the girl needs to actually play her guitar, not just strum power-chords absent-mindedly, and sing with conviction. When she does that, she’ll have the audience in the palm of her hand. But it’s early days yet.
The headlining slot of the night is reserved for Van She, aka ‘Best Looking Rock Boys since Kings Of Leon’, and they march on triumphantly to the screams of a crowd who have been behind them for a good few years. The difference in energy is palpable; these guys have transcended a lot of hype and subsequent flak to release a debut album which actually rocks, and my do they know it. Managing to maintain their cool-as-fuck composure while simultaneously beaming at such a positive response from their fans, these kids are about to hit it big. It’s obviously all the pre-album rehearsals that did it; they sound together and polished for the first time in a LONG time and their new-wave-rock is well-executed and enjoyable.
The night is seen out by Doom and Hoodrat, 2/5ths of the Bang Gang collective who dominate Sydney’s club scene. There’s no need to go into detail; the quality tunes just keep pumping, we all get more drunk and everybody’s happy. It’s not easy being this awesome, it takes lots of stamina man! Especially when you’re in black leather..
