You Should Punch The Belligerents And Alex Lahey Into Your Spotify

Yesterday, after exiting the terminal in Brisbane and spending my American dollars on Australian pints awaiting a pickup and an hour drive on the wrong side of the road, I eventually ended up on the Gold Coast.

It was 9 AM but felt like mid-afternoon.

I’d spent 11 of the 14-hour flight in a minor coma and was feeling sprightly. Jake’s Last Dart drove me to our very comfortable accommodation across the street from the contest site at the world famous Snapper Rocks. It was raining. The wind feathered shoulder-to-head-high lips. The waves were 125 percent more attractive than anything I’d seen in LA in the past six months.

We surfed. Then the sun broke through the clouds, a rainbow filled the sky. It was pure joy.

At 2:30, the Summer Bright Lager show (the same ones my Aussie counterparts have been enjoying over the past six weeks) was about to begin.

When we showed up to the Cooly Hotel positioned across the road from Greenmount; a line wrapped up and around the corner.

I’d heard snippets of The Belligerents and Alex Lahey, who are apparently big in Australia (which would explain the line), but didn’t know what to expect. We slipped in through the loading dock in the back. We grabbed a few Summer Bright Lagers (an easy drink, one that I’m currently sipping on). We walked out to the patio. Waves continued to stream in front of our eyes. I explained to Mitch Crews how nice it is to surf fun waves in trunks again. He agreed. Then explained to me what I was looking at was a “four out of ten.”

Beautiful woman dressed in attire Jim Morrison would admire swung their arms around like Indians by a fire. The men swayed. They jumped. Fingers were in the air and the frontman of The Belligerents led the dance party. His presence on stage was strange and electric. He sang about science fiction haunting his dreams. I loved it. I stood with our designer, Shinya Dalby, and bobbed my head on the outskirts. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. The room was packed. It was loose. It was 3:30 in the afternoon and they were fucking tearing.

Alex Lahey came on next. The crowd praised. They adored her. The energy in the small venue was exactly what you want at a show. The venue was at full capacity; when I left there was still a line wrapping into the street.

After yesterday, I’m officially and genuinely a fan of both acts.

There’s a gig happening right now at the Sunshine Beach Surf Club, so if you missed the antics last night, we’ll see you there…right now. 

SUN 11th MAR – SUNSHINE COAST – Sunshine Beach Surf Club
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