Xmas tis the season of indulgence - too much pudding, too much sparkle, and at The Curtin, gorging on music. Restraint is overrated. This silly season we’re leaning all in, spoiling ourselves, well silly, with a lineup decadently over-the-top and DJs aplenty. The Curtin Xmas show is our collective moment of musical gluttony.
Headlining this maximalist festivus blowout are Gut Health, Naarm’s fav six-piece, who, with themes of identity, queer and femme experience, and broader social issues were sure to become an instant classic on rotation at the pub. Across their catalog, they channel catharsis, rage, freedom and release, with vocals that slip between sharp declarations and mantra-like repetition, cutting through the swirl of rhythm and noise with direct emotional intent. Always pushing boundaries, their live shows fuse hypnotic dance-punk, no wave, and chaotic noise with the energy and pulse of late-night club culture.
Their 2022 debut EP Electric Party Chrome Girl - self-recorded in a Brunswick storage unit - began as an experiment and became a cult favourite. Their full-length Stiletto (2024) took it further, giving us ten immersive, danceable tracks teetering between hypnosis and collapse, expanding their universe into something richly realised and TDF.
Joining them are new kinks on the block, The Gnomes, who have set the scene alight with their debut album, earning 3RRR Album of the Week and glowing four-star reviews from Mojo, Shindig, and Vive Le Rock, along with international buzz from Raven Sings The Blues. Legendary Mojo critic David Fricke praised them: “If the sources scream yesteryear, The Gnomes mix, match and detonate with original flair… The ’60s aren’t over for The Gnomes and the possibilities are endless.”
The Gnomes’ era-spanning garage pop collides hard-psych, British Invasion grit, and raw Australian energy.
In an annual tradition that’s brought Graveyard Train briefly out of retirement and seen Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Regurgitator, and Magic Dirt give us all a spirited Curtin Xmas kiss, this year’s show is set to be just as iconic.
Join us on Friday 19 December.
Also check out other Health & Wellness events in Melbourne.
