GIG REVIEW: Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers Tear Up The Brightside
Words by Evelyn Bond
The Canberra punks bring their biting alt-rock to the Brightside for a revelry like no other. Channelling the progressive, furious roar of classic Riot Grrrl acts, and adding a hint of Australian indie flair, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers present a unique, eclectic act that enthrals their listeners from their opener to their encore.
With the release of their new EP Pretty Good for a Girl Band, Teen Jesus wasted no time resting, scheduling an Australia-wide tour which included a stop at Meanjin’s own Brightside venue. I was shocked to find out that the band was from Canberra, and not living on the same block as the Brightside—with the crowd bellowing out the words to every single chorus and hook, it was like Teen Jesus were playing to a group of long-time friends. Although technical difficulties at points seemed like they would interrupt the band’s perfect playing and confidence, it was almost as if the entire crowd could have hummed and screamed back any lost decibels.
Teen Jesus’ approach to songwriting facilitated the unwavering control they held over the crowd—even when addressing heavy topics like sexism within the music industry (‘Girl Sports’), they managed to wield complex yet simple hooks that had their audience pumping their fists and screaming along to every single one of their songs within minutes. You would be hard-pressed to find somebody who shuffled out of the Brightside that night without being drenched in sweat, reciting the lyrics to their friends.
Photo by Caleb Spark
When they played their most popular single, the aptly named ‘AHHHH!’, the Brightside’s floorboards nearly caved in. Everybody was yelling along, spilling drinks, and numerous photographers were lighting up the walls with memorable stencils of the band. The music wasn’t just fantastic—Teen Jesus were having a great time as well, and this carried directly into their audience. With their positively sardonic intermissions, and numerous bouts of an established stage presence, they carried themselves with a remarkable flair unlike any other band to tour through the Brightside in recent memory, and the crowd loved it.
With the noise pop immediacy of Vivian Girls, the piercing lyricism of Sleater-Kinneyand a dizzyingly good lead guitar that can pivot between Byron-Bay-esque indie ballads and broken Pixies anthems, Teen Jesus provide an unmissable act which is sure to become a staple of the Australian alt-rock scene in no time.