BRUNSWICK ARTISTS' BAR // FREE ENTRY // SHOW 9PM

It Records artists Claire Birchall and Chris Smith get together for an intimate show at the Brunswick Artists Bar. Claire and Chris have known eachother for many years, both originally hailing from the Geelong region. Now they have both recently released critically acclaimed albums on Melbourne's own It Records (Claire Birchall - 'Running In Slow Motion', and Chris Smith - 'Second Hand Smoke', which both came out in 2020).

This is the first time in a long while Chris and Claire have got together for a show. They'll both be playing solo, albeit joined by their plethora of equipment, with Chris on at 9, and Claire at 10. Free entry.

Claire Birchall - 'Running In Slow Motion'
Running In Slow Motion, the new record from Claire Birchall, is an album of contradictions, a perhaps surprising new direction from a stalwart of Melbourne’s indie rock scene. A darkly emotive synth-pop record, recorded entirely to 4-track, alone in her bedroom, the album is Birchall’s first foray into electronic music and it’s pretty hard to put your finger on. Sometimes it sounds like the soundtrack to an unknown 80’s sci-fi movie, sometimes you could certainly throw the term “darkwave” at it, post-punk maybe, but the songwriting is a bit more classic pop. Owing as much to the influence of The Beach Boys or Big Star as Alan Vega or Depeche Mode. The simplicity of it’s production sits in juxtaposition to the complexity of her songcraft. Rough edges cut through beautiful, layered melodies.
https://clairebirchall.bandcamp.com/.../running-in-slow...

Chris Smith - 'Second Hand Smoke'
Second Hand Smoke is the long-awaited new record from Melbourne guitarist Chris Smith. It's gorgeous. Chris has, for roughly a decade, been out of the public eye, out of the scene and literally out of town. Living a quiet, small-town life raising his daughter, but working all the while.This album is an experience to be inhaled in one breath. Calming and expansive, full of sweeping cinematic vistas and melancholy melody, awash with sometimes ragged and noisy guitar. It was largely built from 8-track home recordings and layered with found sounds, field recordings, spoken word as well as multiple instruments and vocals. Like all Chris's work, it blends experimental and ambient noise-making with more traditional songwriting. The results are extraordinary - introspective ballads, torn up blues and hallucinatory instrumentals with a kind of lonely cowboy vibe, an experimental edge and a distinctly Australian sound.
https://chrissmithmusic.bandcamp.com/album/second-hand-smoke

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CLAIRE BIRCHALL - 10PM

CHRIS SMITH - 9PM

BAR & KITCHEN OPEN - 4PM

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FREE ENTRY  - First in Best Dressed

BRUNSWICK ARTISTS' BAR, downstairs of the BRUNSWICK BALLROOM, 314 Sydney Rd, Brunswick 

Delicious food menu on offer. Kitchen open till 9pm