Middle Kids Band

Nicki Alchin
1st Jun 2021

On Friday, 28 May the City Recital Hall welcomed Sydney's indie rock crowd to witness a striking concert performed by home town atmospheric alt indie rock three piece band, Middle Kids.

Having formed in 2016, Middle Kids are no stranger to the Aussie music scene. In those five years the band has enjoyed amazing success. Just in 2016 alone their debut single premiered on Triple J as well as being added to Elton John's Beats 1 show. Also in that year Rolling Stone Australia ran a feature on them, and FBI awarded Middle Kids the winner of the Northern Lights competition to perform in Reykjavik (Iceland) at the Iceland Airwaves music festival. In 2017, the band toured with Paul Kelly and Steve Earle.

In addition to being 'noticed' and playing gigs, Middle Kids kept busy by recording for posterity, two EPs and two albums, the second album, Today We're the Greatest only having been released in March 2021. Friday's concert at the City Recital Hall was totally a welcome chance for the band to belt out tunes from the old and latest recordings as well as getting amongst their fans after a year of COVID restrictions.

The happiness of the band to be back on stage was infectiously evident, their grateful good mood spilling out over into the audience. Lead singer, Hannah Joy, certainly lived up to her name, giving up a most joyful performance. Her easy going happy smile beamed out on us all night. None of that moody arrogance for Hannah or for that matter her fellow band mates, Tim Fitz on guitar/keyboard and Harry Day on drums.

From the moment Hannah walked on stage in her white Joan of Arc gothic Versace like shift dress, she captured our attention. Strutting with her guitar, dancing, or pressing down with feeling into each note on the piano, there was no denying her rock star persona was shining. A little bit Stevie, a little bit Florence and a lot of her own self, Hannah is confident, likable and a fine singer and guitarist. She is a unique rock n roll style fashion trailblazer as well as a talented musician and vocalist.

Together with her band, Hannah created an atmospheric, haunting mood. The audience was embraced by the band with Hannah singing directly to them at all times either while playing her guitar or at the keyboard belting out a poignant uplifting rock ballad. Hannah had a great rapport with the punters giving them sincere intelligent and jokey banter in between songs. She had the crowd effortlessly in the palm of her hands with her rock star/sweet girl next door vibe.

It was clear Middle Kids know where they come from and where they want to go but not in an arrogant way that we have seen from other Sydney female led bands. Hannah, Tim and Harry definitely have their feet firmly on the ground.

Highlights of the night included the band being joined by a trumpeter and a trombonist for a couple of songs, and the final tune for the night that was mostly performed by vocals alone. Don't Be Hiding saw the trio's voices joined only by Hannah's guitar, and the audience's voices. The sweetness reverberated around the wooden hub of the City Recital Hall, "the best acoustics in Sydney" (as directly quoted from Hannah).

If you haven't had the chance to check out Middle Kids, we at Sydney Scoop recommend that you do. Hit up their website for all the latest music and tour news https://www.middlekidsmusic.com/