Going out over the Australia Day weekend? Check our guide for the hottest parties going on in your city.
Gotten over your New Year's day hangover yet? We hope so, as Australia Day is coming up and it offers yet another excuse to inflict damage to your poor old liver. Since its recognition as a national public holiday in 1994, there have been some serious parties organised around it, and this year is no exception. (What with it falling on a Monday in 2009, it'll give revellers a day to recover after a heavy weekend's partying.)
Sydney is offering the most options as far as nightlife is concerned: On Friday you can get your disco groove on to Holy Ghost and the Idjut Boys, or take a punt on Joe from Hot Chip's Greco Roman party, who are promising the appearance of a couple of unannounced special guests. (The latter will be doing the same a few days later in Melbourne too.) It seems like everything's all about the boompty on Saturday, as Dirtybird's Claude VonStroke headlines Pulse Radio's yacht party in the daytime, whilst Derrick Carter will be jacking things up at The Arthouse in the evening. If you've still got the energy to keep going after all that, Sunday offers house and techno fans Lost Baggage's party at The Key, which hosts Ewan Pearson and 2000 and One alongside Lost Baggage's RA podcasting resident Emerson Todd. If electro-house is more your thing, then Fred Falke and D.I.M. are playing the Boyz Noise Records party at The Forum, where they'll be joined by yet another secret special guest.
The hot parties in Melbourne over the Australia Day weekend seem to be on a more disco-orientated tip. The Unabombers bring the spirit of their hugely successful Electric Chair parties to La Di Da on Friday, whilst DFA's Holy Ghost! follow on from the previous night's Sydney gig with a performance at The Toff In Town on Saturday.
Instead of following Holy Ghost! to Sydney, the Idjut Boys are kicking off their Australia Day in Adelaide. The duo will play the Sunday night show at Sugar, where they'll be sure to make the most of the high spirits with their feel-good grooves.
Over in Brisbane, it seems like Saturday is the night to be out on the tiles if you're looking for a dose of electronic music. A Guy Called Gerald will play an intimate live set for Future Classic at Bar Soma, whilst Paul Woolford will be jacking things up at Elsewhere Bar with his energetic tech-house stylings. However, if you're looking for somewhere to party on the special day itself, Brisbane is the place to be. The Bug will bring his bass-heavy live show to the city for the first time, and he'll also be joined by the feisty Warrior Queen on mic duties. The show at Step Inn should wind down just after midnight, so hopefully party goers will be able to get enough rest before the inevitably long day at work on Tuesday.