Day 2 of Secret sounds

It was night two of Secret Sounds. Energies were high, excited chatter could be heard from every corner of the venue and the Fortitude Valley Music Hall was once again welcoming to patrons for yet another big evening.

(Photo by Bianca Holderness – Secret Sounds)

The night began with the absolute powerhouse known as LOGAN. From the moment Logan stepped on stage, fans were screaming his name. Only beginning his career less than 6 months ago, Logan has already earned himself quite a dedicated and passionate fanbase, with the help of Pacific Avenue, who he had opened for on their ‘Flowers’ tour back in August of 2023. 

With inspiration taken from Motown and Michael Jackson, Logan wowed the crowd with his whacky but fluid dancing along with his powerful vocals; ‘Famous’ an absolute crowd pleaser, which is truly a song foreshadowing his future, had the crowd singing and dancing. Logan also performed a surprising new addition to the set with ‘Movies’; a slow and sombre tune which had the audience going from dancing to swaying with their eyes closed. A quote from Logan during his set stated, “I like how music is the one thing we all agree on” along with just simply stating “I like to dance”. His words were so simple yet tied his entire performance together and really showcased his passion and hard work. 

Logan was the perfect way to open day two of Secret Sounds; the passion emulating off him as soon as he began singing. Whether Logan is singing a cover of Elvis or death-dropping down to the floor, as a newcomer just rising into his career, he truly is proving through his entertainment factor and talent why he belongs in stardom, and it was incredibly refreshing to witness. 

Next to enter the Secret Sounds stage was MAY-A, a small but mighty Sydney-based powerhouse, along with her band Chloe (bass) G (drums) and CP (guitar) who took to the stage and automatically had the eyes of the entire now-filled music hall. Maya is a YouTuber turned artist from Sydney who began her career on YouTube creating comedy sketches and occasionally dipping her feet into music. In 2019 Maya was signed with Sony Records, reinvented herself as MAY-A and since then has taken over the alternative pop-rock genre with her hypnotising lyrics, dark vulnerability and her evident spark for music. 

Dedicated Maya fans lined up outside the venue from as early as 10am that morning, truly showing how influential Maya is as an artist. Coming off a summer of festivals and touring, Maya brought fire and undeniable passion to the music hall, and it is obvious as to why majority of the music hall was filled with her fanbase. 

In short, Maya and her band stunned the audience and led them on the journey of her life through this set. Maya sent the audience and dedicated fans through a range of emotions, with songs that felt like a hug from a friend such as ‘Central Station’ to songs like ‘ifyoulikeitlikethat’ from her sophomore album ‘analysis paralysis’ a dark and emotional song in which Maya encouraged the audience to get angry and work through that anger in a safe space. Whether the audience was told “YOU BETTER F*CKING MOSH” or was told to let their emotions run wild, Maya is truly a performer who is not afraid to show her vulnerability and let her guard down around her fans and this was entirely evident in this set which is an incredibly admirable trait to find in the music industry. Maya is an artist to continue to watch out for. 

The Secret Sounds stage was occupied with Holly Humberstone, a British blessing to the Australian grounds. Coming off a milestone of success the release of her recent album ‘Paint My Bedroom Black’ Australian fans were eagerly awaiting her arrival and like MAY-A, already had dedicated fans lining up from early hours of the day. 

Holly showcased her versatility as an artist during her set, performing hits such as ‘Flatlining’ a song with a peaceful acoustic beginning and climatic chorus which had everyone in the audience jumping up and down, along with Gen Z relatability hidden in ‘Ghost Me’. Everywhere you looked, fans were laughing; crying and jumping with joy at her lyrics and small jokes made in the intervals. 

Holly brought an acceptance of growing up and of coming of age to her set which every teen and young adult can grasp onto and hold close onto. Holly lit up the music hall with her addictive raspiness and heartfelt, soul crushing and relatable tunes and had everyone of all ages hanging onto her every word and every twirl around the stage. Everyone needs an artist like Holly to remind themselves vulnerability and self-awareness is an admirable trait to have. 

The atmosphere was then dialled up to 100 and the energy of the night really began to set in. SBTRKT, a British producer and DJ by the name of Aaron, graced the stage with an air of mystery surrounding him; from the dark and backlit lights to the special guests in sequinned masks, the audience was taken on an adventure of a lifetime. 

Transported to a new dimension, SBTRKT put a new spin on EDM music by incorporating live music aspects of drums and keys into their electronic set, something new and refreshing to witness in live music. 

SBTRKT brought out the shining star Layla to assist in leading the vocals; her tone smooth like silk, walking out on stage in a mask covering half of her face, adding to the mysterious aura of SBTRKT. Patrons of all ages were singing, dancing and vibing along to her ethereal vocals, once again bringing something new and innovative to the EDM world. 

Whether SBTRKT was bringing crazy otherworldly instrumental sections to the table or interacting with the audience through their special guests, their performance was full of surprises around every corner. SBTRKT filled the room with vibrations as their influential sound bounces off the walls, giving patrons the performance of a lifetime. 

Their passion and energy were unmatched within their set, finding every spare moment to leave the decks to wave their hands, jump and clap and encourage the audience to do the same. Their visuals consisted of nature of all sorts, space and interesting factoids dating back as early as the 1900s, which is truly one of the most unique and juxtaposing spins on EDM music to ever grace a festival set. 

Every song, every visual and every move they made felt perfectly curated, as though every aspect of the set was planned and executed perfectly. The audience found themselves leaning into the chaos, with the set becoming more and more chaotic, the pair not slowing down or missing a single beat. 

The Avalanches truly lived up to their name, closing the last night of Secret Sounds by bringing it down on the patrons of the music hall in the most memorable way possible. 

Review: Cassie Jones

Photos: Bianca Holderness