Last night, Australia got a little piece of London with the first Australian CLUB NME tour. It did not live up to its reputation.  

Arriving there with huge expectations and in party mode, I was disappointed when I read Yacht Club DJs had cancelled due to illness. However, I decided to make the most of it and made my way upstairs. The main floor of Manning Bar was completely deserted while the Purple Sneaker DJs tried their best to get people in the mood playing tunes from "Vampire Weekend" – The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance, Miike Snow – Animal and The Rapture – Whoo! Alright. The majority of the crowd was unresponsive and sat outside, drinking and smoking. This party was dead.

It was Andy Rourke (The Smiths) who managed to salvage what little hope I had left for the night. Not only is he an incredible bass player, but he sure can spin the shit out of those turntables, featuring tunes from New Order and The Clash. There were also the regular indie disco punk songs from Arctic Monkeys to Franz Ferdinand as well as classic brit-pop songs from Pulp and Suede. Yo DJ Andy, spin that shit!  

As Philadelphia Grand Jury walked onto stage, everyone immediately got off their asses and moved closer to the stage. They’re a fun act to watch live with "Going To The Casino" and "I Am Going To Kill You" creating a delightful atmosphere with their party vibe, which the majority of the crowd seemed to enjoy. This reviewer however was not amused and doesn’t understand the hype around this band (someone please tell me why everyone thinks this band is the greatest?).  

Overall the night was a huge disappointment with the exception being Andy Rourke. There was no possible way you could fill the Manning Bar with a headliner like Philadelphia Grand Jury, sure they’re good in their own right but as well as charging $40 a ticket? No wonder this night bombed.  

Photo taken by Kat Mahina in Melbourne...