I’ve probably been listening to indie rock band The Vaccines casually for almost a decade. I’m not sure how I was first introduced, meaning it was probably through the hallowed halls of Tumblr, around 2014 to 2018. On the other hand, I confess that I didn’t know of Everything Everything until earlier this year.

The two English bands came together to Australian shores in early May, in a co-headline tour delivered by Destroy All Lines. I attended the doubleheader on 9 May 2024 at the Forum Theatre. I’ll openly admit to the Forum being my favourite live music venue in the city, and it seems to have a similar hold on the crowds. Local band Kitschen Boy opened full of energy, before the two English indie rock outfits came on to play a careful balance of recent songs and greatest hits. As it turns out, friendship between the bands runs deep—the two bands first toured together 13 years ago, as the Vaccines’ lead singer Justin Young shared on stage.

The stage setup on the night was classic (though perhaps on the verge of boring), remaining the same for both headline acts: a raised platform for two instrumentalists, whilst another flanked the lead singer ahead. It allowed the swelling music to take centre stage, and the buoyant crowd responded to the beat under the lights flashing in dual and tricolours—pink and purple, yellow and red.

Everything Everything (EE) are defined by their arching melodies and catchy hooks, often driven by a strong electronic beat. Releasing their debut album back in 2007, the quartet of Jonathon Higgs (lead vocals, guitar), Jeremy Pritchard (bass), Michael Spearman (drums, vocals) and Alex Robertshaw (guitar, vocals) finds its roots in the Manchester music scene, a city with a storied musical history—I hear shades of Joy Division as well as their northern English neighbours The Wombats in their art rock style. All were outfitted in short sleeve button ups, with lead singer Higgs stepping into a centre stage in a light button up and matching white pants.

EE generated little crowd work or stage banter between the four, but the audience didn’t need it. We were happy to generate our own frenetic energy and partake in build-ups of rhythmic clapping as the great crowd unifier. To me, it felt clear that this was the band’s rewards after seventeen years and seven albums, to be received with open arms by people who felt connected to their music, and who made the choice to be here tonight. “Thurs night head bobbing,” as my notes read. Songs from their March 2024 album Mountainhead (released by the label BMG Rights Management) were balanced with a smorgasbord of tracks collated from other albums, all delivering strong baselines and soaring hooks. Everything Everything’s songs were frequently punctuated by off-kilter lyrics, worming their way into the air: “I’ll have a Coke / I’ll have a Pepsi now / You are afraid / That you’re a pizza boy,” Higgs croons on the chorus of ‘Pizza Boy.’ Elsewhere, he repeats, “I’m coming alive / It’s happening now” with increasing urgency on ‘Cough Cough’ (from 2013 album Arc), a highlight of the night followed with the equally soaring ‘Violent Sun,’ which tackles the same existentialism found throughout Mountainhead. Rippling along the crowd throughout, the band’s time on stage was an almost cathartic joy.

Here is where I should say that I felt a clear divide: people there for Everything Everything, and people there for The Vaccines. Without a doubt there were passionate fans of both acts, but as Fleetwood Mac and ABBA graced the speakers between sets, people began to shift backwards or surge forwards in anticipation of The Vaccines.

However, there was a palpable change in the room’s energy which carried across into The Vaccines’ set when head bobbing gave way to throwing arms forward on beat to the cheeky London-born indie rock group. Where I could see the main EE crowd give over to the music, it was time now for me to be thrilled by the songs that I’ve been appreciating for years. The quartet of Justin Young (vocal lead, guitars), Árni Árnason (bass, vocals), Timothy Lanham (guitars, keys), and Yoann Intonti (drums) were joined on tour by The Dreamers’ bassist Matt Hitt. All men were decked out in variations of business casual, with lead singer Young’s sunglasses taking centre stage both literally and metaphorically. Whilst Higgs led with his voice, Young seemed discontent with staying put, swaying to and fro across the stage with charisma just awkward enough to be charming.

The Vaccines came in support of recent album Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations, which was released in January this year with the label Super Easy. Young plugged Pick-Up as their new release to “those in the audience who might not know us, and some of you who do.” The set opened with the rollicking ‘Love to Walk Away’ from Pick-Up, whilst ‘Heartbreak Kid’ was particularly jubilant in its live incarnation. The setlist was tight and well-curated, showcasing the witty lyrics and playfulness that characterises The Vaccines’ discography—here embodied in Young’s stage presence as the singer clearly relished his time. Nowhere is this playful bent clearer than the air of relish as he pleas, “Put a wetsuit on / Come on, come on / Grow your hair out long / Come on, come on,” on Wetsuit off 2011 debut What Did You Expect from the Vaccines? The shared highest moment was undoubtedly ‘I Always Knew’ rolling into ‘If You Wanna,’ two of the biggest hits across the band’s career. Everybody in the group ramped up the passion for these two songs, and the exhilarated audience offered up all our energy in return.

In my more recent year or so of attending concerts, I’ve increasingly realised that it’s no small task for international acts to come down to Australia and trust that the crowds will turn out to see you, especially as the cost of touring rises alongside other living costs. It takes a level of faith in the music, and in the listeners. On the other hand, the live music circuit is vital to promoting new releases, making sure they don’t slip past the radar. On this Thursday evening, I was glad the bands could still get together and deliver a slice of English indie rock to Melbourne’s music revellers.