Fed Square is set to erupt with raw energy this AFL Grand Final eve public holiday, as cult Melbourne band Eddy Current Suppression Ring return to the stage in Melbourne after a 15- year hiatus for a rare, free headline show – their first ever free show. That’s right: Eddy Current Suppression Ring – one of the most vital bands to emerge from Melbourne’s underground – are back.
Presented and programmed by Fed Square, the all-ages event takes place on Friday 26 September and marks the legendary garage-punk band’s first major appearance since their last-minute set at Hobart’s Dark Mofo in 2016, part of a brief but unforgettable reunion run that included a now-iconic set at Golden Plains. But their last Melbourne headline show? You’d have to go back to 2010 at The Palace, a night still spoken about in reverent tones by those who were there.
“Eddy Current Suppression Ring is a band woven into the fabric of Melbourne’s music history.
Raw, fearless and utterly electrifying live,” said Fed Square Director of Programming Sarah Tutton, “We’re delighted to welcome them back to the city for what promises to be a truly unforgettable night at Fed Square, continuing our commitment to creating unmissable free, all- ages events that celebrate the best of local and international music, right in the heart of Melbourne.”
Formed in 2003 after a spontaneous jam session at the Christmas party of a Melbourne vinyl pressing plant, Eddy Current Suppression Ring quickly became one of the most influential underground bands in the country. Eschewing music industry protocols and armed with a stripped-back sound and fiercely DIY ethos, they released a string of critically acclaimed records
including Primary Colours (2008), which won the Australian Music Prize, and Rush to Relax (2010), which cracked the ARIA Top 20 and was named in the 100 Best Australian Albums of All Time. Fiercely independent, unpolished and unpredictable, their impact on Australian rock is enduring – praised by Double J as “one of Australia’s finest ever garage rock bands.”
The show’s announcement follows the lightning-fast sell-out of the band’s new split 7-inch Shapes and Forms, released earlier in the month.
Joining them is EDAN, all the way from New York. A true, original MC, producer and psychedelic wizard known for flipping golden-era hip hop inside out and turning it into something wild and mind-expanding. Part rap show, part spaced-out beat odyssey.
Opening the night is Melbourne-based Wrong Way Up, a genre-blurring duo drawing deep from the wells of Afro-disco, ’70s synth-funk and left-field electronic experimentation. Rhythm-forward, groove-heavy and totally transportive; this is music built for movement and deep listening alike.
This latest show adds to Fed Square’s growing legacy as a live music venue with iconic outdoor gigs, following unforgettable free sets from the likes of Robbie Williams, Kneecap, Caribou, Glass Beams and more – bringing tens of thousands of music fans into the city and supporting Australia’s live music industry.
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