The Aussies have something special within their music, and thankfully the US is always there with open arms. On October 12 2023, Chicago welcomed Melbourne’s garage-punk outfit CIVIC on their very first US tour. Hosted at the legendary hole-in-the-wall venue, The Empty Bottle.
CIVIC (along with Chicago’s very own Ganser in tow) delivered a bombastic set showcasing the power of Australian-bred punk at its finest!
Ganser never fails to prove themselves as workhorses, constantly playing gigs across Chicago. Having already seen them open for Amyl and the Sniffers and Bikini Kill, it was refreshing to see them in such an intimate venue. Their music is still as infectious as ever, being extremely bass-driven and noisy as hell. The perfect act for The Empty Bottle.
CIVIC playing on the same night as Australian punk act The Chats was a happy coincidence! Especially seeing as both bands gave each other shoutouts at their respective shows. CIVIC started strong, bringing the raucous energy from their latest album Taken By Force. The music was exemplary of the power Australian punk bands like the aforementioned Amyl and the Sniffers have brought to the scene. And while the band was incredibly energetic in their performance, nobody on that stage was going to match the energy of the frontman Jim McCullough.
Donning a shirt from the musical Cats, McCullough dominated every inch of the stage! Running back and forth, lowering his body into the audience, and screaming in reckless punk fashion.
Pulsating and grizzled, McCullough encouraged the audience to join him in sweating by starting a pit. Despite the crowd not being the rowdiest, the audience obliged with no problem. There was no question that the energy was electric, the venue was sweaty, and the music was banging. For it being CIVIC’s first time in the US, it was reassuring to see the crowd that came out for the show. Punk will never die as long as fresh bands like CIVIC continue to draw crowds to small, legendary music venues like The Empty Bottle. There’s no doubt, punk is alive and well!
All photos by Oscar De Leon
