Before meeting their first audience of the tour, singer-songwriter Robyn McLeod opened with a quietly captivating set, weaving in socially conscious songs that touched on the recent Supreme Court ruling and the rise of crypto-obsessed tech bros. Her soft, experimental vocals and humorous storytelling warmed up the humble but steadily growing Wednesday night crowd, setting a richly anticipatory tone for the night ahead.
.jpg)
Just half an hour after her departure, BIIG TIME took to the stage. A visual contrast in motion, with Johnny sharply dressed in a suit and Matty opting for laid-back cargos and a graphic tee, the pair made a subconscious nod to the archetypal sibling differences many can relate to.
Their first album together, ‘200K’, released in early May, gained momentum as the newest side project from DMA’s guitarist Johnny and PLANET’s singer Matty. Mixing ambient shoegaze, dream pop, and deep lyrical introspection, the night's setlist — comprising all 12 of their released songs to date — largely followed the linear progression of their debut’s track list. Yet rather than offering the crowd something entirely familiar, the duo skipped over a few of their most popular tracks from the record, saving them as a reward for their keenest fans who waited until the very end.
Speaking to Indie Is Not A Genre earlier this year, the pair revealed that many of their songs have been in the vault for years, not released through DMAs or PLANET due to differing artistic directions. However, their tracks like ‘I’m Feeling Alive’ and ‘Cattle In The Market’ translated powerfully on stage, cementing their unique, complementary sound whilst delivering a distinct, uplifting Australian flavour to the intimate grassroots venue. The latter hit sparked some of the most extensive commentary of the night, with Johnny, half-smirking, describing a relationship skewed by wealth, where one partner brings the money and the other brings interest.
Their lighthearted conversation with Belgrave Music Hall's patrons went on to characterise the remainder of the evening. Joking on stage that their debut’s name came from collating numbers and letters resembling their family name while busking in their youth, the brothers’ on-stage synergy was undeniably endearing.
Taking it down a notch whilst showcasing their softer side, the brothers went on to harmonise on the album’s standout ballad, ‘Parades’, reaffirming their ability to tune in to different moods and genres. Most notably, this stripped-back moment within the set stood as a quiet reminder of how their sound effortlessly embraces alt-rock fans across every persuasion.
Though ‘200K’ is still the new kid on the block in the broader indie province, each track was lovingly received and enjoyed by the Yorkshire crowd, with chants of “We love you Johnny!” punctuated by bursts of excitement each time they spoke to their spectators.
Winding down their small but mighty set came ‘Bigger Than Nothing’, their biggest hit from the album so far, before the duo burst into the first song they ever wrote together, ‘It’s You’ — a sunshine-soaked song that, unlike their newest numbers, had the audience swaying together with natural ease.
Though it’s easy to portray BIIG TIME as a mere passion project of two of Australia’s biggest indie exports, the band deserves acclaim beyond their main musical endeavors. While the long-term trajectory of the band remains unclear to those outside their inner circles, one thing was made certain by their first night on tour: they’re essential listening for fans of synth-laced shoegaze and the wider rock spectrum.
Ruby Brown
Images: Corey Rathmell
