Secret Sounds – The British Bless Australian Grounds for Two Incredible Nights
Day One
(Photo by Bianca Holderness – Secret Sounds)
As soon as I stepped into the Fortitude Valley Music Hall, mesmerized by the two shiny chandeliers that hung high from the ceiling to begin Day One of Secret Sounds; I knew it was going to be 2 days every patron in the audience would remember. After seeing the performances of Felony, Sycco, Griff, Declan Mckenna and finishing off the evening with Foals, I can wholeheartedly say I was correct in my thinking.
We started off the wonderful evening with Layla, who goes under the stage name FELONY; an 18-year-old Brisbane local poster child of teenage rebellion and the trials and tribulations of growing up. FELONY found herself with a newfound success after supporting another local band Selfish Sons on their tour at the beginning of 2023 and the success was well-earned; FELONY had the crowd mesmerized, not a wondering eye in the audience for the duration of her set. Whether FELONY had the crowd dancing to her upbeat cover of Cindy Laupers’ classic ‘Girls Want To Have Fun’, intrigued by her more alternative pop sounding release ‘Anything to Feel Anything’ or clapping along to another original ‘Your New Girl’ FELONY had a way of capturing the audiences’ attention through her addictive stage presence, audience interaction and undeniable passion; not even a broken guitar string could stop her from putting on the set of a lifetime.
(Photos by Bianca Holderness – Secret Sounds)
(Photo by Bianca Holderness – Secret Sounds)
The audience was then greeted by the second act, the wonderful Sash McLeod also known by SYCCO and to say the crowd went wild is certainly an understatement. SYCCO entered the stage with a cool, calm and collected persona paired with the coolest glasses ever seen and her prior success was automatically evident. SYCCO knew how to work a crowd and made the stage her home from the moment she stepped out; her entire set felt like a warm hug from an alien in the best way possible. The audience was mesmerized by SYCCO, whether it was due to her vibey, and extra-terrestrial sounding hit ‘Dribble’, the rock solo during ‘Bad World’ or her original song in which she quoted “I like to test the water and who knows, maybe you’ll like the water” the fans truly enjoyed themselves for the entirety of the set.
(Photo by Bianca Holderness – Secret Sounds)
In the nicest way possible, Griff did not seem real. The London local blessed the Australian ground with her ethereal presence; automatically stepping on the stage in the most angelic white dress the world has laid their eyes on, twirling like she was in a field of flowers; her set felt like watching said flowers bloom. Coming off a recent tour supporting Coldplay, Griff truly proved to the Fortitude Valley Music Hall why she was their opener through her high energy, her passion and her dedication to her craft. Griff had the audience captivated; whether it was through her fluid dance movements paired with her most popular hit ‘Black Hole’ which resembled waves rolling in an ocean or the tear-jerking performance ‘Astronaut’ which features Chris Martin’s’ impeccable piano skills; Griff proved why she belonged on that stage. The disappointment on the audiences’ face when Griff ended her set was evident; Griff is an artist to watch out for.
There is something in that UK air because we then continued the show of a lifetime with Declan McKenna and boy, did he put on a show. Declan left the audience speechless when he walked onto the stage in a bath robe, socks, suspenders and a tie, his eclectic personality shining through. Declan mesmerised the audience and revealing his versatility as a performer through his well-known ‘Brazil’, which had the audience jumping up and down with joy and Nothing to You’ in which had several fans crying into each other’s arms. ‘Fool Me Again’ was truly an interactive crowd pleaser which had even the band making everyone clap their hands in unison. Declan’s set truly felt like watching a friend; his chill and retro style personality felt personable and relatable, especially through his self-deprecation of mentioning previously supporting the headliners The Foals, stating ‘you support The Foals twice; once on the way up and again on the way down’, putting the audience in hysterics. Declan McKenna is an artist everyone needs to see live once in their life and then maybe once more for good measure.
(Photos by Bianca Holderness – Secret Sounds)
It was then time for the headliners of Secret Sounds, Foals. It was late, though that did not damper the spirits of the audience. The Fortitude Valley Music Hall was packed to the brim ready to watch Foals in all their glory. Foals stepped out on stage and began their set filled with enticing visuals, interactive moments with the crowd and even a moment when Guitarist-turned-lead-Vocalist Yannis walked in front of the barrier and through the crowd to get even closer to his fans. The colorful stage lighting shone through the chandeliers bathing everyone in warm hues of yellows and oranges. The set was full of passion, paired with the perfectly curated visuals of nature behind the band transporting the audience completely into Foals’ world, they truly did show why it was their world and no one else’s. Whether it was through their performance of unreleased song ‘2001’ which had the crowd going wild, hits performed from their newest album ‘Life is Yours’ or some nostalgic throwbacks such as ‘Your Number’, everyone in the crowd was filled with enjoyment. Interactions with the audience came from every member of the band; Drummer Jack Bevan going as far as to stand up on his set at his drum kit to tap his drums and hype the audience up. With their visuals, crowd interactions and beloved hits being performed, Foals were the perfect end to a truly perfect Day One at Secret Sounds.
Day One of Secret Sounds ended; patrons walked out with arms full of merchandise, smiles on their faces, chatter in their lungs and a full heart.
Review by Cassie Jones
