Last weekend, indie-rock legends Interpol and Bloc Party co-headlined two shows in Sydney at the Hordern Pavilion for the first time post-COVID. The hype was real. Safe to say both bands dominated the stages just as they did in their impactful era of the 2000s, and despite their prolonged absence, both iconic bands illuminated the crowds with the glory days of the early 2000s indie scene – think disco balls, sunglasses at night, skinny jeans and double denim – proving that their musical styles of indie rock and post-punk revival are here for good.
People of all walks of life were present in the crowd. From middle-aged people who remember Interpol and Bloc Party’s defining era alongside the likes of Franz Ferdinand, to the emerging Gen Z millennium that have re-popularized a wave of indie-garage-rock like Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes. Interpol and Bloc Party, alongside newcomer Dust, have proven that their music traverses beyond the constraints of mere nostalgia.
Interpol members Daniel Kessler, Paul Banks, and Sam Fogarino represent the evolution of the quintessential rockstar look – once an acme of quiff hair and leather jackets has transformed to a sophisticated culmination of black suits, dark shades and an air of refinement that would have frowned distastefully upon their former side-swept shoulder-length hair.
But that is not to say Interpol have branched out far from their roots. While continuing to reinvent themselves, Interpol have maintained their long standing fanbase by staying true to their core identity of deep, baritone vocals coupled with cinematically bass-centric buildups. Paul Banks sings on Toni from their seventh studio album The Other Side of Make-Believe, “Still in shape, my methods refined.”
Bloc Party’s stage personality was contagious. The ever-charismatic frontman and lead singer, Kele Okereke, ensured every diameter of the venue was acknowledged – from the mosh pit to the rear “nosebleed” seats – and delivered quips in between sets. Their music is laden with an infectiously energetic rhythm that would move even the most miserably uncoordinated person.
Like a game of Simon Says, when Okereke raised his arms in the air, so did you. When Okereke clapped his hands to the beat of the song, so did you.
In an era that sees artists come and go quicker than they’re made, bands no longer retain the same relevance they once had beyond their first decade. However, amidst blaring strobe lights of reds, greens and blues, and a disco ball shooting beams of light at the end of their more slow-tempo beats, Interpol and Bloc Party, finishing their gig with Slow Hands and Ratchet, respectively, and followed by deafening applause and unrelenting cries for encores, make it clear that they are two bands that are here to stay, indefinitely.
Interpol and Bloc Party represent the two sides of rock, and that is what makes them perfect for co-headlining a show together. While Interpol is fraught with a darker, introspective side of indie-rock that amplifies the rawness of their lyricism and gloomy atmosphere of their melody, Bloc Party indulges in the more unconventionally whimsical wide-eyed wonderment of rock. Their music is a love letter to the consummation of punk-rock with groovy electronic syncs.
Their opening act, Dust, a newcomer band from Newcastle, melodically adopts dynamics of both the bands they’re supporting – from their acidic riffs (including a saxophone!) evoking semblance to Bloc Party’s rich sonic tapestry; and their broody, pensive lyrics brings to mind Interpol’s cinematically atmospheric lyricism (Dust’s final song of their tracklist ended with exclaims of “Guilt!” echoing throughout the darkened venue). The dual performance of indie rock luminaries was a dream come true for both Dust and audiences alike.
Feature Image/Photographs: Laiba Faraz