Tag: MID CITY

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Happy Ever After” – MID CITY

MID CITY might be the next big Aussie success story. The Naarm/Melbourne outfit has been releasing music together since 2018, but they’ve taken their time in releasing an album. The wait was worth it. Happy Ever After is one of the best albums I’ve heard all year.

I’d already raved about the title track, which opens the album with a flourish. It’s the perfect introduction to this energetic rock act, but they’ve got a lot more in their arsenal. The tracks that follow hit just as hard, with powerful lyrics that pack an emotional punch that’s every bit the equal to those big guitar riffs and driving drums. MID CITY doesn’t take its foot off the throttle until the fourth track in, and even then we’re only shifting down a gear or two. This is an album that gets you moving, whether you’re punching your fist in the air or letting the sound take over your whole body. Not that MID CITY is all one note. While they love a big rock anthem, big ballads like “Someone Like You” and “Lover Again” will have you reaching for the cigarette lighter.

“Touring in Europe really informed what we wanted; playing some great festival stages and watching people react – or not – to the things we thought were important in creating the perfect hard-hitting banger,” the band explained. “What was surprising though, was the quieter side we found on some songs. We always wanted the album to be a little journey, not just a 170 bpm sweat fest, but we didn’t realise how satisfying it would be to create some songs with different tempos and feels. We’re really proud of the balance we found between bangers and more heartfelt quieter moments. Perhaps we’re maturing? I hope not.”

I found myself thinking of several big stadium acts as I listened to Happy Ever After. The Killers. Arctic Monkeys. Our own Gang of Youths and the Temper Trap. There’s a little of these bands in MID CITY, but there’s also a unique flavour that sets them apart. Just like those acts, I can picture MID CITY packing out stadiums all around the world. It’s already starting, with MID CITY playing dates in Europe and the United Kingdom next month. Expect those venues to be upgraded next time they travel. Until then, enjoy seeing the at the small spots while you can.

3 October 2023 – Galao, Stuttgart
4 October 2023 – Helios 37, Cologne
5 October 2023 – Pop Bar, Haldern
6 October 2023 – Molotow, Hamburg
8 October 2023 – Badehaus, Berlin
10 October 2023 – Nachtleben, Frankfurt
17 October 2023 – The Victoria Dalston, London
18 October 2023 – 33 Oldham Street, Manchester

Images used with permission from beehive; main image credit: Richard Clifford

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

MID CITY Rock Out With “Happy Ever After”

Naarm/Melbourne band MID CITY have dropped their epic new single “Happy Ever After.” It’s the title track from the band’s forthcoming debut, and if it doesn’t make you excited for that release I don’t know what will. Hit that volume, because you’ll want to listen to this one loud.

“‘Happy Ever After’ took us, no joke, two years to write. It was a COVID lockdown demo that was kicking around in 17 different versions and we just couldn’t crack it,” the band admitted. “It wasn’t until we completely rethought what a MID CITY song could be that it came together. And when it did finally come together it was the most satisfying feeling we’ve ever had from making music. It has become the flag bearer for the whole album. In a funny kind of poetic way it sums up so much of what the band has been for us – always struggling and striving and hoping we can break out of our own situations and make something worth all of that.”

You can just tell this song will go off live. Hometown fans get the chance to experience that when MID CITY play The Gaso on August 19. With their debut album dropping on August 25, it shouldn’t be too long before we hear of some more MID CITY shows around the country.

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Richard Clifford

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Savour MID CITY’s New Single, “Choc Mint”

MID CITY’s latest single “Choc Mint” is exactly the kind of high-energy rock number your weekend needs. Just see if you’re not punching your fist in the air by the time that chorus kicks in. Like the love child of Gang of Youths and Arctic Monkeys, the Melbourne band has really outdone themselves here. They had a simple aim with this single: they want to get you moving!

“Our entire existence as a band is about getting people to uncross their arms at gigs,” they said. “There’s enough terrible stuff going on in the world without a bunch of relatively fortunate dudes in a band making people feel worse about themselves or disappearing up their collective musical butts trying to be the saviours of music as we know it. We wanna write fast songs with big choruses that make other things in your life feel less shit.”

Amen to that! “Choc Mint” is the first track lifted from MID CITY’s forthcoming debut album. The band are preparing to play a few shows in Europe but they’ll be back before too long for some Aussie dates. Catch them anywhere you can!

16 May 2022 – Ostpol, Dresden
17 May 2022 – Klubovna, Prague
18 May 2022 – Privatclub, Berlin
19 May 2022 – Nochtspeicher, Hamburg
20 May 2022 – Artheater, Koln
21 May 2022 – Jugendheim, Haldern
24 May 2022 – Schon Shon, Mainz
25 May 2022 – Kohl, Karlsruhe
26 May 2022 – Substanz, Munich
2 July 2022 – The Workers Club, Melbourne
15 July 2022 – The Chippo, Sydney
16 July 2022 – The Greaser, Brisbane (FREE)

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Nick Manuell