LOOK: Cutters and Two Bright Lakes Present – MMW

With the vast expanse of the National Gallery of Victoria’s Great Hall transformed into a live music venue, the gems of Melbourne’s indie scene came out to play with the Gallery’s priceless collection. Featured as part of the Labels Series for Melbourne Music Week, the night showcased the best of the labels’ respective talent. With the neo-90s penchant of Two Bright Lakes, to the innovative electronica from Cutters Records, this was one hell of a variety night.

Beat-darlings Teengirl Fantasy opened with their brand of heady, thumping electronica which had the likes of Collarbones’ Marcus Whale (losing his shit) moving every step of the way with the band’s re-working of late 90s pop/r’n’b on the dancefloor. Speaking of which, the boys from Collarbones took to the stage amidst a sea of released balloons, fitting as you could say that it was symbolic of their last release – Die Young – seeing as it traded on the whims of teenage naivety*.

Anyway, a slew of other acts came onboard, growing further in intensity in anticipation of the international headliner, Tim Sweeney. Famed for his work with the podcast, Beats in Space, and more recently with the New York juggernaut that is DFA Records, this was a mighty coup for the team behind this event. But really, you’ve got to give credit to the NGV for actually allowing this to happen, considering the sheer amount of multi-million dollar works residing in the walls beyond the Great Hall.

(*consider this side note a nod to the NGV’s ability to make art students quiver with fear when art analysis sheets get handed around on tours. Apologies, but I couldn’t help but delve into a bit of artistic ‘symbolism’).

Teengirl Fantasy (US)

Collarbones 

Collarbones w/HTML Flowers

Ben Browning 

Tim Sweeney