30 January 2025 – The Triffid, Brisbane – words by Cody-James Henderson – pictures by Bec Harbour
“SOFT PLAY. WHAT MATE? Nah I quite like this spineless shit.” Says I upon hearing Soft Play for the very first time in 2024. I won’t sit here and say I’ve been a fan for the longest time, but what I can say is that all it took was 3 minutes to convince me into becoming a fan.
The UK duo Soft Play have been around the block for some time now, but not always under this alias. The artists formally known as ‘Slaves’ took a chance to rebirth themselves in 2023, much to the dismay of the internet fans (we will touch on that later) and self proclaimed gatekeepers of punk. After the release of their 2024 album Heavy Jelly the band has been tearing up the globe on sold out headline tours and destroying stages on the festival circuits of the UK and Europe. The band are currently in Australia for the first time under their new moniker since being apart of Download AU 2019. But if the internet is telling us that punk is dead, just what will the Soft Play boys actually do?
These New South Whales: When not being pioneers of all things sketch comedy on YouTube, These New South Whales are one of Australia’s self described ‘Premier Punk Acts’. And don’t take that as just another clickbait title, they are genuinely everything that is right when it comes to being Punk Rock and being symbolically Australian without being a tosser.
Grooving into the night with ‘Bending at the Knee’ the band demonstrates this Clash-Surf-esque style only encouraged by the vocals of Jamie Timony. It’s not reinventing the wheel but more so along the lines of having the wheel more polished. It’s unique and has the ability to stand out amongst others in the same scene without taking away from the bands incredible ability to be genre defining.
A song like ‘Cholesterol Heart’ is sweet and alluring, reminiscent to that of a Ramones track but following straight on with politically charged ‘Broken System’ with guitar tones enough to find its way to a Dead Kennedys album of the same era. To sound so distinctively unique and brand new whilst possessing the charm of the old school is an art of imitated but never replicated. But if this is something of interest to you, may I suggest you take the time to check out These New South Whales?
These New South Whales – Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
“Not a single Daryl here tonight. I call bullshit on that, Fortitude Valley” as Timony makes talk between songs before fronting a heckler with calls to suck him off. See, Punk Rock isn’t dead! Too many audience members possess main character syndrome, and These New South Whales ability to effortlessly deal with this shows why their comedy work is as gracious as their musical ventures.
These New South Whales are by no means a brand new band in this scene, having been together for well over a decade at this point in time. But it’s still fair to say that the sky is the absolute limit for these 4. Having made the most out of mockumentaries, touring and an extensive catalogue of music; everything about These New South Whales is as real as it gets.
SOFT PLAY: I will preface this by saying, going from Skeptas all time grime anthem ‘Shutdown’ into religious hymns is awfully depressing, especially when a track like ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ is meant to be so uplifting. But for the irony of starting the set with ‘All Things’ then for Soft Play I will let it slide. With nothing more than a wall of sound created by Marshall Amps and a free standing drum kit, Soft Play in a matter of seconds turn this venue into Heavy Jelly.
Heavy Jelly is a perfectly fitting term, as the opening doom riff of ‘Mirror Muscles’ sees the audience gets the crowd moving without any indications of stopping. The dancefloor is the plate, and we’re just the coloured sugar wobbling away, supporting guitarist Laurie Vincent who unfortunately head butted an audience member as he dives into the crowd. Last time Soft Play hit Australian shores or Brisbane specifically, the band only played to 250 people. Tonight, the Triffid is completely sold out, hardly any room to breathe but the feeling is immaculate.
Soft Play – Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
Politely sipping cups of tea between sets (because they’re English, duh) the absolutely monstrosity the dancefloor turns into for ‘Act Violently’ is suitably appropriate. There is hardly a phone out unless it’s those right down the front, the intention for tonight is to cause as much appropriate mayhem as possible. And as vocalist Isaac Holman helps himself into the crowd with Laurie at the helm equipped with knee slides through the mosh pit; there is a deeper connection between the UK Duo and the audience than anyone could ever realise. No song played, just a genuine moment to share with the sold out crowd.
Anyone that has been to the Triffid before knows the stage isn’t the largest thing in the world, most bands are limited to their placement. But when you’re running a dynamic duo (and in Isaac’s case, a migraine that caused the band to be on stage late) they manage to make this small cap venue feel like one of the biggest festivals in the world. You’re only as big as you make an audience feel, so in this setting Soft Play feels like the biggest band in the world.
The irony of a band singing a song like ‘Punks Dead’; written from the perspective of fans who turned against the band for their change of name (formerly Slaves) and those in attendance singing it back with the most positive of intentions proves to any single doubter that punk is so far from being dead, its immortal. And as Isaac appears to struggle throughout ‘Worms on Tarmac’ and ‘Working Title’ the spirit of Brisbane keeps him pushing through. Defiance in the time of struggle? That’s Punk fucking Rock.
“This is a song written by Keanu Reeves, from the perspective of John Wick performed by Soft Play from Kent, England” is one hell of an introduction but following it up with the greatest chorus of all time being “I’m John Wick Bitch” is an all time concert moment. In the middle of a story before “Girl Fight” the band takes a moment to pause to allow an injured member of the audience to make their way out, encouraging the audience to make way to make sure they get out as safely as possible. As things return to normal, the women in the audience are given 6 seconds to “kick the shit out of each other” for a girls only mosh pit. Being friendly and empowering women? Punk fucking rock.
Soft Play – Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
As I take a moment to feel a little emotional for ‘Everything and Nothing’ I feel at home as hundreds of voices shout like a harsh choir. Maybe I haven’t well lately, lord knows I could be better. But for a few minutes here, I feel it all disappear. I remember those I’ve loved and lost. I think of my friends and family in this moment. And through tears I smile. I feel represented. I feel contempt with what I’ve had to let go of. Life doesn’t last forever, but this is a moment I’ll never forget.
But wipe away those tears, as it’s time for the crowd to dance like freaks for ‘The Mushroom and the Swan’. This therapy aggression piece is such a direct change of pace but an unrelenting way for an emotionally in touch audience to let it all out after that moving ballad. With two songs until the band sends the crowd on their way, it was only fair to throw it back and ask the crowd ‘Are You Satisfied?’ The ever gritty ‘Beauty Quest’ and a fully hearted singalong to ‘The Hunter’ take audiences back to where it all began for the dynamic duo 10 years and a name change ago. It’s hard to believe tonight was only just over 60 minutes long but it’s safe to say that they made the absolute most of it.m
I couldn’t tell you the last time I went through the array of emotions that I felt tonight. But what it has proved to me is a few things;
Being in touch with who you are and how you feel is important
Music is the greatest art we have at our resources.
Soft Play are one of the greatest bands I have ever been able to witness live. If ever given the opportunity, do not pass it up.
Punks not fucking Dead.
