Street Carp
could be stars
Clean Coil
Saturday afternoon saw The Worker’s Club in Fitzroy draw a crowd for a 1pm start. The show brought together three bands from across regional Victoria, spanning indie, emo and slacker rock.
Opening the day were Clean Coil, an indie surf/folk trio from Euroa on Taungurung land. Their set immediately charmed, relying on tight melodies and an uplifting, feel-good sound that suited the early afternoon perfectly. Not a minute in, a snapped guitar string halted the performance, but Asher from could be stars offered his guitar mid-set in an act of generosity. The band’s easy on-stage banter and clear chemistry kept spirits high, making this incident feel like part of the fun. Clean Coil’s set felt relaxed, genuine, and joyful, the perfect opener to settle everyone into the room.
Next up were four-piece band could be stars, from Geelong on Waddawurrung land, reliably performing their usual self-described “cool guitar music”. Their blend of indie, emo and alternative rock translated effortlessly live, with quaint verses accompanied by bursts of intensity. After playing some of their familiar classics, they performed several new tracks from their recently released album, And There Your Name Was, which were met with attentive reception.
This show carried an extra significance for could be stars, marking their last performance for the foreseeable future, and guitarist Sam Walker’s final show with the band. That sense of finality came to a head at the end of the set when Asher charged into Sam while playing, knocking him backwards. Ending the show, the band dropped their instruments and walked offstage. It was chaotic, affectionate, and very clearly symbolic of the end of a long-lasting era. The end of could be stars’ set was met with loud applause and a lingering bittersweet energy.
Closing the afternoon were Street Carp, a slacker/alternative band from north-east Victoria. With their usual vocalist missing, the guitarist stepped up to the role of frontman for this show, a change that gave their performance a rough-around-the-edges charm. The band’s crowd interaction and plenty of stage banter kept things loose. A Silverchair cover sparked recognition and enthusiasm, and eventually a small mosh started close to the stage. Their show felt communal and unpretentious, thriving on Street Carp’s energy and plenty of additional distortion.
The show wrapped up around 4pm, leaving plenty of daylight outside. It was an afternoon to celebrate regional bands, DIY spirit, and genuine connections formed through live music. In the case of Could Be Stars, it also offered a heartfelt send-off. In my case, the afternoon finish gave me adequate time to catch a train to Footscray and catch an evening gig at Spit.
photos from the afternoon (click to expand)
