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Two Door Cinema Club

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TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB
+ Declan McKenna
+ Genga + Jaida-Rose
@ Ice Cream Factory, Perth,
4th December 2024
(Live Review)

Review by Amy Smith

Photos by Adrian Thomson (@_awii_)

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TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB / Photo – @_awii_

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Ah December; The time of year where, what is usually an empty space in the heart of Northbridge, is transformed into a festival wonderland filled with live music and fun activities. The annual Ice Cream Factory Music Festival welcomed a dynamic bunch of concert goers.

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DECLAN MCKENNA / Photo – @_awii_

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Many of the early arrivals made a beeline for the stage to claim the best vantage points. For those who didn’t need to stake out a spot, there were many fun activities on offer. Those wanting to warm up for the main event could dance away over in the Silent Disco area. For those still needing to decompress from the work day, the Chill Out Zone offered a space to calm their bodies and minds.  On the other end of the scale, those looking to expend excess energy could try their luck on the mechanical bull over at The Saloon or swing over the crowd on the extreme swing in the Red Bull zone.

It seemed that that DJ’s opening the stage were determined to give us whiplash, with the playlist shifting from artists such as Elvis one minute straight to Britney the very next. It was definitely an effective strategy to make sure absolutely every body in the venue was ready for the main event!

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DECLAN MCKENNA / Photo – @_awii_

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A few short hours ago Declan McKenna and Co had disembarked from a very long flight, and now here they were on stage ready to entertain an eager crowd. The feedback that plagued the first song didn’t seem to bother anyone (Thankfully it was resolved quickly), with McKenna exhibiting good crowd control that had everyones hands in the air. No explanations were needed as McKenna showed the crowd exactly what he wanted them to do, such as crouching down in preparation for a very big jump, and they responded enthusiastically.

McKenna reminded us that you should put your wishes out to the universe, ask and you very well may receive! As he moved toward the piano, McKenna explained that he had received requests for Be An Astronaut earlier in the day and that now was the time to fufil those requests. Fans had mostly been living in the moment, with phones tucked away in pockets for the majority of the set, but they were suddenly whipped out for Brazil,  which had the venue glittering like the stars. It also prompted the loudest crowd sing-a-long of the set. With a political message shining on the screens behind him, British Bombs had McKenna so riled up that he started doing acrobatics on stage!

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TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB / Photo – @_awii_

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Two Door Cinema Club were last in Australia just before COVID hit in 2019; You could feel the built up anticipation burst when the lights went dark signalling their return to the stage. The screams were deafening as the dark figures took their positions. All hell broke loose the second the opening chords for This is the Life sounded. This set the tone, for what wouldn’t let up,  for the rest of the night; A sea of swaying bodies singing in unison so loudly that they almost drowned out the band!

‘It’s been 13 years since our first visit to this country’ declared Kevin Baird (Bass, synths, backing vocals)  ‘And 14 since we released this song’ he mused before the instantly recognisable intro for Something Good Can Work rang out. Debut album Tourist History is an important one for the band, one which catapulted them to leaders in the Indie scene. Tonight, they basically played the album in its entirety, along with a healthy smattering of favourites from their following 4 studio albums.

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TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB / Photo – @_awii_

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While frontman, Alex Trimble, may not be one for stage banter, he showed off his vocal chops throughout the night.

From the low end of Satellite right through to the high falsetto of Bad Decisions; His unique and instantly recognisable voice is like honey to the ears. The concert goers were not there for banter anyway, they were clearly there to dance their asses off and sing, as loudly as possible, in unison with the band; Guitar riffs and all!

The band were definitely feeding off the crowds energy, particularly Sam Halliday (Lead guitar, backing vocals) who’s smile shone so brightly it rivalled the stage lighting. His bouncy footwork quickened in response to the crowds liveliness. Behind the band, the screens displayed lyrically themed images with the songs being played. For example during Cigarettes in the Theatre a motif of a woman putting out a cigarette could be seen.

Two Door Cinema Club finished the night strong with banger after banger (Let’s be honest that describes the whole damn set!). The last two songs Sun and What You Know  elicited the biggest responses of the night. For both long-time followers and new fans, the concert was a testament to why Two Door Cinema Club continues to lead the indie music scene.

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TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB / Photo – @_awii_

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Check out Adrian Thomson’s (@_awii_) full gallery of this event HERE

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DECLAN MCKENNA / Photo – @_awii_

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TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB
WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – TIKTOK
SPOTIFY – APPLE MUSIC – YOUTUBE

DECLAN MCKENNA
WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – TIKTOK
SPOTIFY – APPLE MUSIC – YOUTUBE

LIVE NATION
WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM

SECRET SOUNDS
WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM

HOW GOOD
WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM

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TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB / Photo – @_awii_

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Press Release 24th September 2024 (below) HERE

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB
& DECLAN McKENNA
team up for Australian Tour
in December
with special guest
SOFT LAUNCH

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Two Door Cinema Club

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TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB
& DECLAN MCKENNA
Australian Tour Dates

Wed 4 Dec – Ice Cream Factory, Perth
Fri 6 Dec – Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney
Sun 8 Dec – Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne
Tues 10 Dec – University of Wollongong Gardens, Wollongong
Thurs 12 Dec – The Station, Sunshine Coast
Fri 13 Dec – Riverstage, Brisbane
Sat 14 Dec – Bar On The Hill, Newcastle

General public tickets on sale here

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AMNPLIFY – DB