Northeast Party House
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Northeast Party House

Carlton North, Victoria, Australia | Established. Jan 01, 2015 | INDIE

Carlton North, Victoria, Australia | INDIE
Established on Jan, 2015
Band Alternative Indie

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"LIVE REVIEW: NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE - ADELAIDE UNIBAR (04.04.15)"

When it comes to Northeast Party House's time to shine, the Unibar crowd is more than ready. The main floor area in front of the stage is packed with beer-driven punters and before long, the venue feels like a sauna. A girl is stood in front of me, dancing to the house music while balancing a cup of Coopers atop her head, guys watching her in awe. Another girl is in her own zone, dancing to the beat of her own drum, while a trio of underage guys are booted from the venue for quite obviously having alcohol hidden in their unnecessary layers of clothes. People came prepared to have a good time and the band did their job in ensuring it happened to the best of their ability.

Standing out as one of the best bands the AU saw at the Falls Festival over New Year's, I was stoked to see NPH back in town. Their music is accessible and yearns for the listener to let loose and have fun and sometimes, when it comes to live shows, that's what you want more than anything - a true, no fucks given experience. "Any Given Weekend", "Pascal Cavalier" and "Embezzler" has the crowd surging back and forth as strobe lights shower down, the band grinning as they keep up with the energy the crowd is throwing their way. "Sick Boy" is undoubtedly a set highlight, sending punters up and crowd surfing, shirts being stripped away. Jack and Zach are particularly great to watch perform, two musicians with a seemingly endless amount of enthusiasm and energy generated between them. Going off the female screams and hollers back where I am for most of the night too, a lot of the people in the crowd would agree. This isn't to say the rest of NPH are lacking in this department, it's obvious that the band as a whole has worked out the live formula that works and between them all, they all know how to bring the noise. - The AU Review


"Gig Life: NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE"

April 15, 2015

Northeast Party House have a reputation of being amazing live. So amazing that they’ve struggled to replicate their sound in their original recordings. Now I’ve listened to their album. And it’s awesome; an amazing mix of indie-rock smashed together with electronic beats. So I was definitely looking forward to their gig. And how was it? Just one word – wow. Just wow. I don’t think I could have believed how much energy, joy, boundless enthusiasm and anarchy could come from the five guys on the stage.

It’s a five-piece band made up of Zach on vocals, Jack and Mitch on guitar and bass, Malcolm on drums and Sean on synth. The guys don’t just play the music, they live it, they drag it out on stage, throw it about and launch it back to the audience.

And the fans loved it. They showed their appreciation by moshing, stage jumping, and crowd surfing – hey, it’s a party, anything goes.

They started off the gig with the popular ‘Any Given Weekend’ and set the tone and tempo for the rest of the gig. Their songs start out with indie beats and bring in electronic beats, culminating in a wild, furious chorus where everyone on stage almost literally throws themselves into the music. It’s great to see a band having so much fun on stage with the songs and with the crowd. They played in The Lair, at the Metro in Sydney and the venue really suited them. With no real barrier between them and the crowd it felt like we were up close and personal.

Most of their songs powered through with a high tempo but they did take it down a notch (slightly) for ‘The Haunted’ in which Zach’s voice reverberated around the room. Not ones to sit still for long, they took off again with ‘Pascal Cavalier’.

Their music live reminds me of a mix of artists, most noticeably the beginning of their songs sound like the indie-rock bands from the early 2000’s like The Dears, before veering off into their own style of electro rock. They also channel a bit of a London cheeky-chappie vibe through the gig on certain songs.

The finished the gig with the lively ‘Youth Allowance’, another song with a high-powered chorus. Coming back for their encore they apologised for not playing Blink 182 as usual and so said they would just ‘play some random shit’ which they then launched into. They jumped into some drum N bass-esque beats and at this point I had the impression that the audience could be or not be there, but they would still be doing exactly the same thing. To add to the party theme, for the encore some of the fans had gathered on the stage with the band and it felt as though a house party was really starting.

The only jarring notes through the gig were some static from the mic at various points and in some parts the sheer volume of the music overpowered the vocals. But overall a great gig.

Now only one question remains – when’s the next party?

Zoe Bradley - Blaire Magazine


"Gig Review: Northeast Party House @ The Hi-Fi"

The six boys arrived on stage at 11pm sharp, starting their set with the track ‘Any Given Weekend’ – which is also the name of their debut album. It took just seconds for the crowd to loosen up, with a few topless girls already spotted in the crowd. On stage, the guys were jumping around, cracking frothies and loving every minute.

They continued with ‘Empires’ with the crowd singing along to every word. Charismatic singer Zach Hamilton-Reeves carried us away with his nonchalant moves and transporting voice, giving off vibes resembling those from Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke. Maybe they swapped notes when he was in town a few days ago?

In the middle of their pumping set, the boys did a quick cover of The Vines hit ‘Get Free’, amplifying the feeling they were playing for mates in a pub or an intimate party. The rest of the show saw Northeast Party House playing well known tracks like ‘The Haunted’, ‘Pascal Cavalier’, ‘Youth Allowance’ and their Like A Version cover of Violent Soho’s ‘Covered in Chrome’.

We loved their real and justified encore. Nowadays, encores are part of the show whether the audience wants it or not. But these guys came back while the crowd yelled and clapped for more. They ended up drunk on stage improvising covers of Blink 182 and The Police that got us Vultures laughing. They transported and entertained the crowd for their entire gig, thanks to their attitude but also to the quality of audio and light show. They are reflecting a part of today’s youth which is evident just by looking at the crowd’s enjoyment.

It’d be easy to dismiss Northeast Party House as another fun party time band, but that would be missing the point. This commencing tour will be a challenge for the six piece, at the Hi-Fi they were able to show their maturity on stage, all while having fun. They may not be pioneers of a new sound (yet), but their performance shows genuine fun, and that’s what makes them special. - Vulture Mag


"Any Given Weekend - Album Review"

4/5 stars

Assembling a great album can't be as easy as Northeast Party House make it seem on their debut album. Their schtick, typically, is four-to-the-floor, hands-in-the-air party anthems – something that could wear thin quickly. Luckily, the Melbourne outfit dazzle on each and every track, the overall result achieving great heights of effortless party ambience while exercising good ears for flawless songwriting and meticulous production. The Haunted builds beautifully into a hectic frenzy while Fake Friends slips in sexy disco bass and Valium does anything but induce slumber. Such a winner. - The Music


"Northeast Party House is about parties, not politics"

Any Given Weekend, the debut album of electronic-rock five-piece Northeast Party House, shows its transition from an exuberant bunch of schoolboys into a focused group.

Northeast Party House has made an impressive debut album.
Northeast Party House has made an impressive debut album.
Joe Hockey sure knows how to help promote a band. Among the raft of controversial changes in the federal Treasurer's recent budget were changes to the Newstart and youth allowances for the unemployed, which seemingly should tie in with Youth Allowance, a track from Any Given Weekend, the impressive new debut album from Australian electronic-rock five-piece Northeast Party House.

The track has a lean groove and keening guitar parts, but the tricky part is the lyrics: “Let's all get on youth allowance,” howls vocalist Zac Hamilton-Reeves, giving the song a stomping, hedonistic air of defiance that embraces the excessive. Youth Allowance is one conservative commentator away from being cited as a reason for why the youth allowance should actually be cut.

“That was me complaining that the rest of the guys were eligible in some form but I wasn't,” Hamilton-Reeves says. “The song was supposed to be a fun anthem. The song that I wrote the lyric over was raucous and pushed the song's sense of exaggeration. I would laugh a lot if someone picked it up and said it was outrageous. If they used it as a political traction point, it would be a low blow.”

The clouding of perceptions, or outright misunderstandings, is something Northeast Party House is having to deal with. When you name yourself after a two-week-long house party that inspired the mood of your early gigs, call yourself a party band and play shows where strobe lights, smoke machines and dismembered stuffed animals combine to create an atmosphere of defiant release, then first impressions will endure.

“Someone asked me recently if my party habits had started to affect my life. I don't think I party any more than the average 21-year-old, but our music is a lot of fun, and that's the vibe we put out when people enter the show,” Hamilton-Reeves says. “It doesn't necessarily have to be the vibe of what we're playing, but we always wanted our friends to come into a venue and enjoy what we're doing.”

Any Given Weekend is where the Melbourne band transition from their exuberant beginnings, formed by students from the same Rudolf Steiner School that produced the liquid alternative pop of Snakadaktal, into a focused group.

Over the past few years, half of the original six schoolyard members have left, replaced by new members, such as Malcolm Besley, who was recording the group before becoming their drummer.

On songs such as The Haunted, In the Water and the title track, Northeast Party House bring menace and mystery to their mix of electronic rhythms and taut melodies; the songs are sharp and sometimes explosive, without reassuring crescendos. The group have five songwriters, with listening habits that span alternative rock, hip-hop and rave music, but the album is arresting and purposeful.

“It's a good representation of who we are now,” says Hamilton-Reeves, who at 21 is the youngest member of the band. The son of classical musicians, he was in year 11 at high school when Northeast Party House started. He rebelled by playing sports until he discovered contemporary music – and his singing voice – at 16 while on a student exchange program in Germany. “The past two years have been a different life. With the album we didn't want to try and be more than we are,” he says. “The record is about friends, the parties we've been to, the experiences we've had, the relationships we've had.”

His lyrics are more impressionistic than narrative, but they catch a mix of uneasiness and surrender, where the ordinary can tip over into the worrying without any real change. Their road to wisdom is still paved with excess, but also heartbreak and quiet sympathy, and along the way Northeast Party House have built a sizeable following of like-minded fans.

“What I've realised about life, and I think it might show on the record, is that no one is a person who starts off doing wrong things," Hamilton-Reeves says. "You almost fall into this place and you just keep falling.” - Sydney Morning Herald (National Print Media)


"NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE Q&A"

Northeast Party House are midway through a tour in support of their debut album, Any Given Weekend, so we caught up with the Melbourne band's drummer Malcolm Besley to find out how the shows have been going so far, how their songs change from recording to stage, and what it takes to make a great party.

You've just kicked off your tour. How's it going so far?

It's been the most fun one yet.The first leg (Adelaide, Ballarat, Melbourne) was awesome. Every show has exceeded our expectations in terms of how cool and enthusiastic the audience has been, it's felt like we are all friends. The venues have been super helpful and friendly too. We are a little more organised this time. I brought a sleeping bag, pillow and mattress this tour which has been great. Last tour Mitch and Jackson slept under a piece of cardboard in Ballarat, and I was using my clothes as a pillow and blanket and mattress through all of Queensland.

Do you ever get sick of having underwear thrown at you on stage?

It hasn't happened enough yet to make a call on that. But I can't imagine so unless the underwear being thrown was dirty XXL mens white briefs. I get the feeling the bra throw at our Corner show was done in irony.I heard the lady who threw it ended up getting the bra back somehow and was wearing it again. Read into that what you will. Equally cool was that someone threw their wallet on stage, I'm not sure what that means. (Wallet was returned).

For those who haven't seen you play live before, what goes down at a Northeast Party House show?

People who come to our shows are always up for a good time. Strobe lights, crowd surfing, climbing up things that are dangerous, jumping, thrashing, dancing or the classic arms-folded-serious-look-but-inside-I'm-really-really-enjoying-myself stance. We always try to play our best and keep a tight ship so the audience can enjoy themselves. There are a couple of moments in the set where it's just drums and keys so the other guys in the band can jump into the crowd. In the past we have tried to make our live show a shared experience where the line between stage and audience is blurred. Due to OHS factors, this is often very difficult to achieve. Stage invasions happen occasionally, and it usually results in the show being shut down, and our gear getting damaged.
What tricks do you use to make sure your audience gets involved at a gig?

Occasionally we do some novelty things. We handed out shots last night, and we often have inflatables. At Falls festival we had people sitting in an inflatable raft while crowd surfing. I think our audience has taken it upon themselves to make the shows what they are, and we just roll with it.

Do you have any surprises in store for your shows? If so, can you give us any hints?

Maybe some novelties as mentioned above, but nothing planned. We have our set list for the tour, and then we make up everything else on the night. It always works better that way. Jackson will often throw in a spontaneous cover, which in the past has been Eric Clapton, Metallica and Blink-182. It's always terrible yet usually gets the biggest cheer of the night.We have a new t-shirt design for sale that we are stoked with.For the people who have been with us for a while, I think they will be happy to hear some songs from the album in the set.

You seem to have an open approach to creating music, not confining yourself to a particular method of writing songs, which also has to do with the technology you use. Do your songs continue to evolve from when they're recorded to when you play them live?

Yes big time.We usually make them longer to allow for bigger dance breaks and bigger builds, but also the arrangements change. For example on the album, we may havefour guitar parts going in a song, but we only havetwo guitarists. It's difficult as we need to find ways we can get the same energy and harmonic interest as the recording with less elements at our disposal. Often it means Sean our keyboardist ends up doing a lot more. His multi tasking is amazing. He might be playing a keys part with one hand, while doing percussion with the other, and simultaneously triggering samples in between hits. We are really lucky to have guitarist Mitch's vocal skills too.He's an amazing singer and he's singing a lot more now to back up Zach.

What are your favourite songs to play live?

For me, any of the ones that have big endings because I get to play like an '80s stadium rocker. Courtesy of a cooler older brother I grew up listening to Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Poison, Motley Crüe, Guns 'n' Roses etc (my mum threw out all the tapes because she thought it was corrupting me). We aren't playing stadiums, but a man can dream. As a band we all love 'Fake Friends'. It's an easy song to play, so we can all settle in to auto-pilot and have a good time. Nearly everyone sings in that song so it's a bit like a party anthem. It's terribly obnoxious and the song is in its ideal context at a show.

If you could travel through time to any concert that ever happened, what gig would you go to?

I'm a big fan of making top10 lists. I would say that making top10 lists is possibly in my top10 things to do on a rainy day list. And consequently I'm working on atop10 time travel fantasy gigs list. So far I have: To see the B52's playing a rad club to about 400 people in Athens Georgia while touring their first album around 1979, Metallica Live in Seatlle 1989, Sepultura live in Barcelona 1991, Little Richard in 1957 so I can hear Lucille in the flesh. Lucille is such an amazing song but I don't think the recordings available do it justice. Those concerts do not in anyway reflect what the band would like, or even my ultimate gig, it's just what I have thought of so far. Also, if I could travel in time, that would affect my choice too, I'd love to see prehistoric Earth and take part in a tribal fire dance. That would be an interesting musical performance.

What are five essential ingredients for a great party?

Friends, music, something to help loosen inhibitions, tolerant neighbours, dim lighting, potato gems.

In your experience, which Australian city or town parties the hardest?

They are all the same. That's not a diplomatic answer, it's just relative to many variable factors.Melbourne is our home town so it will always have a slight advantage. We have had some great times in Sydney. Something about Adelaide seems peculiar - I definitely associate Adelaide with "loose," Brisbane is probably the most relaxed, but then maybe all our Brisbane friends are mellow (stoners). We have never been to the NT. The craziest party we have been to on tour was near Perth.

- Jed Ahern - Channel [V]


"Interview with Northeast Party House"

The footy obsessive behind Northeast Party Houses’ exploratory guitar riffs Mitch Ansell sat down to discuss triple J’s Hottest 100, that T-Swift situation, getting his chap out, sex at a gig, and AFL.

Northeast Party House
This sweet illustration of Northeast Party House is by Irene Feleo, an illustrator from Sydney whose work often explores concepts of isolation, folklore, imagination and superstition.

HAPPY: First of all congratulations on placing 195th in Triple J’s Hottest 100… that’s a pretty snazzy little achievement! Is the countdown something you guys value?

MITCH: Cheers! We were super happy with that actually, and I think it’s really nice that they announce that 200 to 101 cause otherwise you just never really know… you don’t get a report from triple J saying where your song came, so yeah that was nice! It was a good indication of where we’re at as well!

HAPPY: Definitely! You just answered my next question “What was your initial reaction?” *laughs* so you guys were happy?

MITCH: Yeah, for sure! I didn’t listen to it but about half way through I went back and I saw it there, but yeah it was awesome, really nice!
HAPPY: That’s cool! Would you have liked to place higher at all?

MITCH: I don’t know, I think in terms of where were kind of at as a band #195 reflects that pretty well.

HAPPY: For sure, it’s still a great achievement for where you guys are at!

MITCH: Thanks, it’s pretty cool. It’s pretty nice (laughs)

HAPPY: Now, since we’re talking triple J its’ inevitable that I ask about the whole T-Swift situation. Would you have been annoyed had she been allowed a spot?

MITCH: (laughs) I’m sorry about the what situation?

HAPPY: The T-SWIFT, the Taylor Swift (laughs in embarrassment)

MITCH: Oooh, the Taylor Swift situation! I’m all for Taylor Swift so I think she should have been allowed in the Hottest 100 for sure!

HAPPY: Oh, you’re a fan?!

MITCH:Yeah (laughs) are you not?

HAPPY: No, I’m not but I can appreciate her music, I suppose! (laughs)

MITCH: Yeah, well it would’ve been so awkward that interview, because she definitely could’ve taken out the number one spot if she was eligible, and they have to interview the winner. It would’ve been amazing!

HAPPY: You guys started as a party band, so who parties the hardest out of you guys?

MITCH: Definitely Jackson! Jackson’s our other guitarist, and he party’s pretty hard, we’re all kind of waiting for that point where he can’t do it anymore! He’s going strong, he’s going prettttty strong!

HAPPY: A bit of a Bon Scott?

MITCH: Yeah, he heaps is! Nah, he’s good he can go all night! Or for a few nights in a row, he’s usually in fine form at a festival; I guess it’s everyone’s time to have two days of nothing, and everything!

HAPPY: Yep!!! Now, your debut LP Any Given Weekend has had brilliant responses from audiences, and critics, what’s been the defining moment for you guys?

MITCH: Well, releasing the album was good that was a nice thing, it kind of sums us up as a band, and as people, that was really good. And I think for me and for maybe a few of the other guys, playing the main stage at Falls recently was a super big buzz! Just because that’s a festival that I used to go to as a kid and a young teen and just to see all my favorite bands on the stage and then for me to be on it! We had a really nice crowd as well, it was the perfect day and we played Byron the next night and that was really cool as well, so for me that’s been the highlight of this whole thing and maybe as a band that kind of forms that Falls experience was the best!

HAPPY: Yeah, that would’ve been amazing, for me that would be like performing at Bluesfest… it would be crazy!

MITCH: Yeah, it’s really cool! I just remember being a kid and moshing to The Hives and King of Leon back in 2008 when they were just like the coolest thing. So yeah, it was really cool.

HAPPY: So, that brings me to the next question, what’s the wildest crowd experience you’ve had?

MITCH: Adelaide. I’ve mentioned this a few times but Adelaide is always very responsive, we always have pretty decent crowds there, and they just really get into it! One time there was a fight maybe one song in, between this guy and girl and the girl ended up pouring a beer over him, and they got in a scuff. It was real weird. And at that same gig a couple was having sex against the stage maybe half way through the set, so that was really, that was really weird! (laughs)

HAPPY: Yeah, that’s pretty grim! Just out in public, in front of everyone just casually having sex! (laughs) Did they get kicked out, what happened?

MITCH: I think everyone was just cool with it, I’m sure it wasn’t a lengthy operation; it was probably just a little quickie. Maybe they just wanted that thrill.

HAPPY: Yeah, it would be quite a thrill, really that would be rather thrilling! (laughs)

MITCH: Yeah! And you know that question that people ask “Where’s the wildest place you’ve had sex?” I guess they’re always going to win, hands down!

HAPPY: Hell yeah! Exactly!

MITCH: I’m wondering if there’s a kid out there because that was more than 9 months ago!

HAPPY: Yeah, you know what, there probably is! And when people just ask the super normal question of “How were you conceived?” they can just say “Well, my parents had sex at a festival in front of everyone, so that was fun!”

MITCH: Yeah (laughs), well that’s the thing, it was a little gig it was like 200 people in a room!

HAPPY: Oh what?! That has officially made it even weirder!

MITCH: (laughs) it was Rhino Bar in Adelaide.

Happy: Whoa, crazy! That is a weird crowd experience, definitely the best!

HAPPY: Yeah it was weird! After that happened, there were a few fights. I mean we really like it when the crowd is just moshing and having a sick one, but it can get pretty hectic and there can be a little scuffs and that’s not cool. And I guess it’s up to us to contain it, as we kind of have more control than the security guards in a way.

HAPPY: Definitely! If you have the mic you’re pretty much in control. So, Mitch what’s your favourite song off the LP? Mine is definitely Youth Allowance it just rings so true to me (laughs).

Mitch:(laughs) Cool! That’s a funny little song that one. I really like You and I, it was written as a whole and only a few songs were written from start to finish in a singer/songwriter-esque way. But I really like that one. Same with The Haunted, we jammed the majority of that and it kind of came together over the one weekend. So you know, you can have some guy sitting down writing lyrics, a full song and bring it to the band, and that’s a nice way but with this it all just came together with the five of us so The Haunted is one song that’s really fun to play live, and the crowd really get into it so those two are probably my faves!

HAPPY: Awesome. So, I’m intrigued to know, which musicians inspire you?

MITCH: We’re all pretty different, but I really like festivals. Bands don’t really inspire me, festivals inspire me, Meredith Music Festival as just a place, and the people who go, just generally what it’s about inspires me to write music. Most of my inspirations don’t really go into our music too much, like I love the Queens of Stone Age and what Josh Homme is all about, he’s one of my favourite musicians. I really like Sufjan Stevens as well, he’s great! So there are two contrasting artists who also don’t go into the Northeast Party House sound. We’re definitely getting into a lot of guitar rock, and we’ve always really liked the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and their guitar sound. If you listen back to the album you might find some pretty similar tones.

HAPPY: I went through a bit of a Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs stage back in the day, so I do notice that now!

MITCH: Yeah. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! (laughs) oh and I guess the LCD Sound System is something that I’m very inspired by, its dance music, but it’s all kind of analogue and it’s all really nice, the way they record their songs. LCD Sound System is sick, really awesome.

HAPPY: So, you guys just performed at Mountain Sounds Festival on the weekend, what was that like?

MITCH: It was fun. Usually with festivals you know a little about it, and it’s been running for a bit, like Falls or Pyramid or something but this one we knew nothing about it, it was a little boutique festival and I think it was maybe the second year. But it was pretty cool, they had a really good, strong line-up, and I thought it was really good. It was great for the crowd that went, the Sydney-siders. And it was fun, it all worked, it was a different crowd, each festival is kind of marketed at a certain demographic, so it was pretty funny, everyone was very nicely dressed and they looked the same it was funny, it was cool (laughs).

HAPPY: Yeah, I’ve noticed at a lot of festivals, people will rock up in their ‘hippie’ outfits and all look the same! (laughs).

MITCH: Yeah! But this time it was less ‘hippie’ and more kind of Bondi fashion. Everyone was super clean, it was odd, and it was really weird. But there were some bands there that we’ve played with before so it was nice to see them. Because I guess you’re kind of friends with other bands but you only really see them at gigs together. So, that was cool. It was just a cool little festival. I hope it keeps going! A lot of those little festivals tend to tricker away.

HAPPY: Were y’all particularly excited to play alongside anyone there?

MITCH: We saw the Jungle Giants again and I was pretty intrigued to hear their new stuff, and they played new songs and that was really cool. We didn’t really watch too many bands, we had a boogie to Alison Wonderland and that’s about it! Oh and we also seen DZ Deathrays there and that was really cool, because I hadn’t really seen them before! They played just before us at Byron Bay Falls and so during their set was the time we were all really nervous, tuning our guitars and having that awkward beer (laughs) so I didn’t get to seem, so it was nice to see them at Mountain Sounds. It was sick, they did a sweet Daft Punk cover as well, I’m not sure what one but they usually pull out a 90’s classic!

HAPPY: Speaking of covers, your band’s cover of Violent Soho’s Covered in Chrome was pretty damn brilliant!

MITCH: Yeah, that was fun! We just got asked if we wanted to do it, so we had to think of a few songs and we’re so bad at that stuff, no one gets onto it, and it took a while. But we sent off that one, and Float On by Modest Mouse as our two options, and then Sean and I had a day to come up with the structure and how we were going to actually turn it into a Northeast Party House style track, we actually did that at night and it sounded good enough, so we sent it off to our label and they were like “Yep, cool” and then that week we had a jam, and then we went. It was cool, it was really bizarre. That’s up there with Falls I think, being in the triple J studio!

HAPPY: Yeah, and you got your pants off, that was fun for us all to watch! (laughs).

MITCH: Oh yeah! Well my girlfriends dad watched it and he saw my jocks and he was like “That’s a disgrace” and so he bought me new jocks for Christmas (laughs).

HAPPY: I was actually watching it with my boyfriend, and he was like “What?!” and I just turned to him and said “what? They’re just getting their pants of in the studio, its the norm” (laughs)

MITCH: I could’ve been wearing nothing so you’ve just got to compare it to that kind of thing! I could’ve done the mangina, looking back on it that would’ve been pretttty good! But if it just flopped out, I don’t know that’s big time, could’ve got lots of publicity though! *(laughs)

HAPPY: That would’ve been really good actually! Should’ve done it! See, you’ve missed a good opportunity, pretty good op!

MITCH: I know, maybe we’ll go back one day!

HAPPY: Exactly, and you got some new undies out of it so I guess not doing the ‘magina’ was worth it in the end!

MITCH: yeah! They were good undies as well (laughs)

HAPPY: Okay, my last question! The inevitable what makes you happy?!

MITCH: What makes me happy? You know what, footy! The fact that footy is back on Thursday night, the AFL that makes me so happy! I just can’t get into the NRL but maybe NRL fans can’t get into the AFL either. But yeah, Thursday night, it’s just the NAB challenge, but that’s alright, it’s just good to have it back, back to normal. And it means that when footy is on, winter is here! It’s my favourite season!
HAPPY: So footy alone is what makes you happy? There’s got to be something else?! *laughs*

MITCH: Yeah, just footy *laughs*. No, I’m going to Golden Plains which is a festival in Victoria in two weeks and that’s going to make me happy. Village People are playing; it’s going to be good! - Happy


"Northeast Party House @ The Corner"

It was a packed room for local favourites Northeast Party House at The Corner Hotel, the first of a run of shows up the east-coast for the launch of their brand new sparkling pop tune Pascal Cavalier. Having just been awarded Beat Single of the Week for the tune last week among a plethora of other praises, the boys were certainly on a high leading into the hometown show. With a line-up of support that included close friends – City Calm Down and I Oh You DJs, the room was buzzing with party vibes well and truly before the five-piece took to the stage. Having a pretty healthy reputation for a rambunctious live show helps, but the crowd were loose and in the mood for Northeast thanks to a smooth hip hop set from Johann of I Oh You, setting the tone with R Kelly’s Ignition and Snoop’s Drop It Like It’s Hot. A slew of other early millennium hits got pretty much everyone dancing before the red curtains opened to the band jumping on stage to Mr President’s '90s dance hit Coco Jambo. Kicking off with a few newer tracks, the fairly young crowd seemed almost infected with a strain of Northeast Party House syndrome; inhibitions were done away with and minds were completely lost as crowd surfing to the first song of the set list had guitarist Jack in disbelief, with a simple ‘holy shit’ into the microphone summing the scenario up perfectly. The pulsating synth and urgent percussion of singles Dusk and Empires had the audience ramming the front of the stage, while the hisses and grunts of one of their earliest singles Embezzler wedged between the newbie, Pascal Cavalier filled the room with everyone singing along.

Halfway through and an amped-up cover of the Gorillaz' Dare made a welcome appearance alongside a mass of multi-coloured inflatable beach balls that were thrown into the crowd – as if they needed another reason to get excited. Vocals from frontman Zach Hamilton-Reeves were spot on throughout the set despite battling a nasty cold, and surprisingly all members remained composed and professional while hyped-up teens countlessly violated the stage with threats of getting naked. Call them just another party band, but Northeast Party House demand attention on stage with their playful but entrancing presence and clean, sophisticated song-writing at their core. Whilst at times it was difficult to maintain focus with not one, but two hormone raging couples making out right in front of me throughout the set, it was exciting to be a part of this young band’s imminent rise up the Australian live music ranks.

BY TEGAN BUTLER - Beat Magazine


"Gig Review: Northeast Party House at The Corner, June 21st"

It was only 18 months ago when I saw an up-and-coming Northeast Party House play in this very room. Playing as support act that time, there was potential there, no doubt, but I would have been hesitant to suggest they would go on to selling out the same room on their own headline tour, as well as playing an extra show due to demand barely 18 months later. Their almost freeform approach back then has been replaced by clinical, breathless and bouncing dancefloor anthems that saw crowdsurfers and ravers together as one, revelling in the moment that Northeast Party House had brought them.

Earlier, Adelaide 3 piece Flamingo set an ambient tone with their James Blake-esque haunting vocals and soft instrumental use. Kacee Heidt’s dream like vocals, along with the swirling guitars and keyboards took the audience on journey through space and time, even if it wasn’t the in the same vein as the main act.

From the moment the curtain opened to reveal the band in waiting, vocalist Zach Hamilton-Reeves was the darling of the audience, and the moment wasn’t lost on him, seemingly in awe of the following his band has drawn. Their set drew heavily from their debut album Any Given Weekend, and with good reason. It’s one of the most energetic, fun time albums released this year, and with songs like ‘Sick Boy’, ‘Fake Friends’ and ‘The Haunted’ working their dancefloor magic across the hallowed ground of the Corner Hotel, it was a wonderful example of a great album coming to life in the live setting.

Slower moments such as ‘You and I’ show their versatility, not comfortable with being pigeonholed as a single formula band, it worked wonders to punctuate a set of banging party tunes. ‘Any Given Weekend’, ‘Youth Allowance’ and the guitar-gods gift ‘Embezzler’ continue to get the anthems flowing, and by this time, there are members of the audience crowd surfing like it’s DZ Deathrays amongst ravers like they’re at a Soulwax warehouse gig.

They sheepishly reappear for what seemed like a genuinely unplanned encore, with the crowd demanding they hear at least one more from their local lads. The unmistakable synths from their self-titled EP hit ‘Dusk’ send the audience into raptures, whilst the band look on with smiles as wide as the Great Barrier Reef.

Northeast Party House have certainly come a long way in their short careers thus far, it’s now a question of how big can they be?

Dean Forte - What Sound


"I WAS THERE | NORTHEAST PARTYHOUSE @ KAROVA LOUNGE, BALLARAT – 5.4.15"

Half way through their Double Darts tour, Melbourne’s North East Party House made a triumphant return to Ballarat’s Karova Lounge, proudly claiming that after many shows at the venue they had finally managed to sell it out. It was easy to see that the full house crowd was as eager to start a party as the band, with enthusiasm oozing from all involved.

Fellow Melbournians Diamonds of Neptune set the night off to a solid start, with a high energy set of solid indie rock. Their stage presence could have been built upon, often appearing slightly clunky juggling all five members on the stage of the smaller venue. The set left the crowd grinning, and set the tone for the night.

By the time North East Party House walked on stage, the crowd was bubbling with excitement, and when the first notes of ‘Any Given Weekend’ were struck, a sea of bodies was rapidly formed, setting the scene for the rest of the set. Front man Zach Hamilton-Reeves, strutted the crowd with casual in difference between taking vocal duties throughout the set, giving the crowd somewhere to surge towards. The set continued, whirring through material from previous EP’s and last year’s debut, hitting a high point upon playing ‘Pascal’s Cavalier’, which had the crowd shouting lyrics ‘They said he walked on water’ with confidence and energy enough to wash out Hamilton-Reeves own vocal work. It was impossible not to notice the happiness radiating of the band members, by this point soaked in sweat and continuing on with ever increasing amounts of energy. Warning the crowd there were only two songs to go, it was time for their cover of Violent Soho’s ‘Covered In Chrome’, whilst the cover may have been performed in a rather lacklustre way when performed in the Triple J studios, it was bubbling with energy on stage, the crowds intimate familiarity with the original carrying the cover to new levels, making up for any possible disappointment in North East Party House’s adaptation. Closing the set on their hit track ‘Youth Allowance’, the set had positively exploded at this point, sweat dripping from crowd and band alike as everyone in the room chanted the chorus with enthusiasm that is hard to match. It took mere moments from the band walking off stage before the crowd was begging for an encore, only to be offered the choice of ‘shitty Blink 182 covers, or something electronic’, only to have both requested. A quick response of ‘This one’s called both’ followed by an instrumental jam filling the stage, with ever more members joining in, continuing for over five minutes, it became almost a summary of the night, with twerking, crowd surfing and a raucous crowd bouncing off the high energy improvised track on stage.

For a final tour of their debut album, it would be expected that the crowds would be eager to get involved, but the over flowing amount of energy seen was simply astounding, a tribute to the energy and talent of North East Party House’s writing style, and their commitment to presenting the fullest and impressive live show, making them sure to be a dance floor filler for many years to come.

By Ayden Measham-Pywell - Adam Not Eve


Discography

Any Given Weekend (2014)
Northeast Party House EP (2011)
The Haunted (single - 2014)
You And I
(single - 2014)
Youth Allowance
(single - 2013)
Stand Tall
(single - 2012)
Pascal Cavalier 
(single - 2012)







Photos

Bio

Since forming in Melbourne Australia in 2010 (and being ‘Unearthed’ by triple j that same year for their song ’Dusk’), Northeast Party House have built a cult following thanks to their electrifying live shows, and songs combining the heady exhilaration of dance music with pop hooks and rock backbone. These five young guys – most still in their early 20s – have brought the party to stages ranging from the Falls and St Kilda festivals to national support slots for acts such as Kimbra, The Mystery Jets and Midnight Juggernauts.

For the uninitiated, an early self-titled EP – which featured live favourite ‘Embezzler’ – and a couple of digital singles, ‘Pascal Cavalier’ and ‘Stand Tall’, gave a taste of the band. However, it wasn’t the full picture, says keyboardist Sean Kenihan.

“Everything has always revolved around our live show,” Kenihan says, “Playing live has always been a very different experience to [just] listening to our music.”

Not Anymore, with the release of debut album Any Given Weekend, Northeast Party House finally bottled their live genie into 10 cohesive tracks that were destined to ignite parties all around the nation, marking one of the most accomplished debut albums heard in 2014 with tracks The Haunted, Sick Boy and Youth Allowance all making high rotation on triple j.

Any Given Weekend is Northeast Party House’s ode to partying – the good, the bad and the ugly – and the band members’ gloriously shambolic ride into adulthood. Party guests on Any Given Weekend include love, lust, friendship, bright lights, sticky walls and the odd stimulant, along with songwriting chops aplenty.

This Autumn saw the band give one last victory lap to Any Given Weekend, with the Double Darts Tour. Widely regarded as a Falls Festival 2014 highlight and off the back of a sold out Kick Ons tour last September, this tour saw the band sell out even more venues across 13 national shows including performances on the West Coast. This tour marked the last string of shows played before bunking down to write material for their sophomore album.

Band Members