A night to remember: Sputnik Sweetheart

In every music scene in every city, every once in a while there’s a show that just makes you stand back and say ‘woah’. And in the moment it doesn’t always hit you, but in the comedown from the event you’re taken back. Whether it was attending the first No Front Fences or experiencing the thriving house show culture from the early 2010s, it’s something special.

And as someone who has had a handful of these experiences in the Nation’s Capital, this past Saturday was an experience just like that; like a house party on steroids, pushing capacity at to the maximum but with access to a bar. It was a night of night for Canberra music at The Polish Club, that’s all I can say.

As you can guess from the title, this is in regards to the launch of Home Again, a step forward Canberra locals Sputnik Sweetheart. A big moment for the quadruplet who in just 12 months have taken the local scene by storm. And because of all this momentum, the SOLD OUT launch was a night of rock n roll, 90s nostalgia and pierogies (when at the Polo you know).

To kick things off Charlotte & the Harlots gave us a performance reminiscent of 90s grunge and punk and pop. The swell of lofi guitar and voice was well received by the early-showers and those trying hustle for tickets at the door (did I mention it was sold out?). It was the first time I had heard Charlotte and personally really enjoyed it. Also I love that they rep 2602.

Following Canberra synth-pop duo Neko Pink take us from 90s grunge into dreamy, synthy dance pop, with angelic vocals and noise to match. A bit of a standard in the Canberra music circuit, they’re always one to bring a tight performance and get everyone into the mood for a kind of ‘sway-dance’, moving side to side.

In all reality the next act requires no introduction, especially after the week they just had. Riding high from their feature in triple j unearthed, the one and only Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers expressed this youthful energy. Offering a mixture of tunes, old and new, for someone that has seen them since their very early days, it was an amazing set.

Though young, they bring it and the energy they brought to that stage was electrifying. They are the teens of style and I’ll call it, the Bikini Kill of the 21st century. As one of the leading artists on Turning Heads, it can’t be stressed enough they’re a band to keep your eye on. Especially following the release of their new single, ‘I Like That You Like That ‘ a month back.

Now onto the headliner – Sputnik Sweetheart. Though just over a year old, their first headliner show to date was a HUGE one. It was like they found a way to channel all the energy prior into their set, flowing perfectly from the previous act. Their set consisted of a mixture of songs from their career, plus some Strokes for good measure.

I noted on the night all their songs a ballads to be and that’s something to take to the bank. It’s not often a band straight from the woodwork produce such HUGE tracks and have the following to show for it. It’s rather comforting and homely to watch the crowd sing along to unreleased songs.

Having recently created their new single with producer Fletcher Matthews (Sweater Curse, CLEWS, Dear Seattle), and sound engineer Brian Lucey (Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys, Chet Faker), Sputnik Sweetheart left the crowd wanting more.

Big shout out to Turning Heads management agency for supporting their artists through their new music career journeys and opening national pathways for Canberra bands. If you couldn’t tell, a lot of this show couldn’t have happened without them. They’ve represented what a music family and team should look like.

Needless to say, if you’ve read this far, obviously check these artists out:
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