The Thousands

First, a clarification. A couple of weeks ago I suggested that Adelaide indie supergroup Avant Gardeners sounded like the Pixies. In all good conscience I should point out that they do not sound even a bit like the Pixies. Nevertheless, I would wager that every member of the band is a Pixies fan, that every Pixies fan in that crowd thought the show was awesome (in the original sense), and that Avant Gardeners poo all over almost every other gaggle of indie pretenders in this dishwater berg. See? I always tell the truth, even when I lie.

By virtue of similarly rare awesomeness, the following bands avoid Avant Gardener’s scornful poo: Brisbane slacker/stoner/lofi-pop sensation Kitchen’s Floor; New Zealand smoldering stomp-conjurers Batrider; the gleefully post-punk Terrible Truths (courtesy of former members of Skeletons and All Made of Rubies); and Almost Numan, who’ll make all you wet bitches wish you’d never scoffed at the idea of a Gary Numan tribute show reducing a crowd of cynical hipsters to a state of child-like euphoria.

All of the above are playing Opening Night of Format Fest this Saturday. It’s all of seven bucks, and there’ll be cheap drinks all night.