Australia’s most electrifying punk band, WAAX today release their walloping, brand-new single ‘Labrador’ via Dew Process / Universal Music Australia. To mark its release, the band are set to embark on a national tour next month. The twelve-show tour including an all ages early show in Sydney, kicks off on the Gold Coast on May 11, with triple j Unearthed feature artists Moaning Lisa announced as main support for all East Coast dates. Limited tickets are available for all shows.
The five-piece Brisbane outfit have also been announced to perform at the sold-out Splendour In The Grass Festival alongside the likes of Lorde, Kendrick Lamar, Vampire Weekend, MGMT and Girl Talk.
‘Labrador’ which premiered premiered on the airwaves via triple j’s Good Nights, starts off gradually, easing its foot onto the accelerator as stabbing guitar notes and echoey drums next door subtly build the momentum. Above all else though, the focus continues to be drawn to Maz De Vita’s concentrated vocals, sounding smoother and yet more emotionally raw than ever. It’s those lyrics though, that really suck you in.
“This song is the first time I’ve ever spoken so candidly about my past,” De Vita elaborates. “The title is named after the suburb where I spent a lot of time when I was in my late teens and it’s where a significant relationship ended. Basically, the song underpins the way I felt around the time. I feel like this was the time I began to struggle with depression and when I was about 18, battled with body image issues. When my relationship ended, I didn’t really write music for a couple of years, I smashed my guitar. I felt kind of worthless. I clung to self-deprecation, I felt safe there. I had voices around me that said I wouldn’t amount to anything musically and I thought ‘you were right all along, you’re better than me. I’m never enough.’”
It’s an assured step for someone who’s already got such a strong reputation as a performer that puts it all on the line. However, it’s indicative of just how far she and her band have come since their early days. They’ve always had the walk… now they’re prepared to have the talk.
It’s not always an easy listen either. Lines like, “I’ve been binging / I’ve been purging / I’ll be skinny / At least that’s something,” stab you right in the heart. They’re sonically reinforced by the band at large – Chris Antolak and Ewan Birtwell trading guitar parts, Tom ‘Griff’ Griffin locking down the bassline and Tom Bloomfield keeping it all tight on drums – only adds to the power of the song, particularly when everything explodes at the chorus and it bares its teeth with the signature WAAX aggression you knew was always bubbling below the surface. And again, it’s all tapping into those emotions and nerve-endings De Vita finally feels free to embrace, and behind her, her bandmates feed into that strength and push it forward.
“We operate on raw emotion,” says De Vita. “From the way that I perform to the way the guys go as well, it’s all about feeling and I definitely I find that I like to emote with as many people in the crowd as possible. I’m not playing at an audience – I want them to be as immersed in the experience as I am. I just want them to feel what we feel. I guess we’re pretty emotional in the way we carry ourselves.”
I think it’s safe to assume then that a young Maz De Vita would think a song like ‘Labrador’ is pretty fucking excellent.
WAAX have amassed industry attention and a fervent fan-base from around the globe in recent years, thanks to their killer, independently-released EP’s Holy Sick (2015) and Wild & Weak (2017), as well as barnstorming singles like ‘Same Same,’ ‘Wild & Weak,’ and ‘I For An Eye’, and a relentless touring schedule.
The band have just been signed to US booking agency Paradigm and have been nominated for not one but two Queensland Music Awards for ‘’Best Video for ‘Same Same’ and in the Rock category for their song ‘Wild & Weak’. The band will also perform at the official ceremony to be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on May 14.
In the past 18 months, WAAX has played more than 60 shows including support slots with Aussie staples Violent Soho, Dune Rats, Ecca Vandal as well as international heavyweights Fall Out Boy (US), Kim Gordon (US), Guitarwolf (Japan), UPSET (ex- Vivian Girls, Best Coast and Hole members) and Canadian upcoming punk buddies White Lung. They have also completed two sold-out Australian headline tours. As a band practically built for the festival stage, they were enlisted for a stack of major festivals including Falls Festival, The Plot, Yours & Owls, Secret Garden as well as The Smith Street Band’s Pool House Party. Tonight, they kick off their Australian east-cast tour in support of Scottish power trio Biffy Clyro.
Select Music, Dew Process & The Music Present
WAAX ‘Labrador’ Single Tour
Tickets On Sale Now
FRI 11 MAY | MIAMI SHARK BAR, GOLD COAST QLD
w/ Crum, Deluso & Cake
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
THU 31 MAY | ED CASTLE, ADELAIDE SA
w/ Siamese
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 01 JUN | THE SEWING ROOM, PERTH WA
w/ Sly Withers
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SAT 02 JUN | THE ODD FELLOW, FREMANTLE WA
w/ Sly Withers
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 08 JUN | RAD, WOLLONGONG NSW
w/ Moaning Lisa
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SAT 09 JUN | THE LAIR, SYDNEY NSW (AA EARLY SHOW – DOORS 4.45PM)
w/ Moaning Lisa
Tickets available from www.metrotheatre.com.au | 02 9550 3666
SAT 09 JUN | THE LAIR, SYDNEY NSW (18+ EVENING SHOW)
w/ Moaning Lisa
Tickets available from www.metrotheatre.com.au | 02 9550 3666
SUN 10 JUN | THE CAMBRIDGE, NEWCASTLE NSW (LONG WEEKEND PARTY)
w/ Northeast Party House, Antonia & The Lazy Susans, and Dave.
Tickets available from www.ticketbooth.com.au
WED 13 JUN | BARWON CLUB, GEELONG VIC
w/ Moaning Lisa
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
THU 14 JUN | PELLY BAR, FRANKSTON VIC
w/ Moaning Lisa
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 15 JUN | NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, MELBOURNE VIC
w/ Moaning Lisa
Tickets available from www.northcotesocialclub.com | 1300 724 867
SAT 16 JUN | THE ZOO, BRISBANE QLD
w/ Moaning Lisa
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | 1300 762 545 | All Oztix Outlets
Supporting Biffy Clyro
Friday 27th April Forum Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Sunday 29th Eatons Hill, Brisbane, QLD
Monday 30th April Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW
SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2018
Friday 20 July, Saturday 21 July and Sunday 22 July
North Byron Parklands
splendourinthegrass.com
waax.com