Canberra’s XACTO arrive in Melbourne for one night only, bringing the full force of their six piece XTC devotion to the Kindred Bandroom in Yarraville. It is a fiercely detailed dive into one of the most inventive post punk catalogues ever written. XTC stopped touring more than forty years ago, but XACTO keep the flame burning with three guitars, keyboards, rhythmic detail for drums and a room full of choruses that go off like fireworks.
Expect the jangle and jump of ‘Are You Receiving Me’, the sideways pop rush of ‘Making Plans For Nigel’ and ‘Mayor Of Simpleton’, the angular joy of ‘Generals And Majors’, and the wide eyed wonder of ‘Senses Working Overtime’. The band have been packing rooms across the ACT and NSW, converting curious newcomers and delighting long time XTC tragics in equal measure.
To open the night, Melbourne’s own Everyday I Write The Hook present a sharp, studied set drawn from the first twenty years of Elvis Costello’s studio recordings. Led by songwriter Victor Stranges and performed by The Futurists, this project treats Costello’s early catalogue with the attention it deserves. Deep cuts such as ‘Blue Chair’, ‘Riot Act’ and ‘All Grown Up’ sit comfortably beside ‘Watching The Detectives’, ‘Pump It Up’, ‘Olivers Army’ and ‘Everyday I Write The Book’, with an emphasis on musical depth, interpretive care and a clear grasp of the craft that underpins these songs.
Together these two acts form a rare double bill carried by lyrical dexterity, energy and melodic nerve. It is a night for anyone who loves their post punk sharp, witty, literate and loud. A night where two strands of post punk history meet on the same stage. A night where jangle, tension and clever songcraft win.
Tickets are now on sale for this one off Melbourne event.
DOORS 7:30PM // $45 (+BF) TICKETS
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