Live Review: Middle Kids, Didirri

Middle Kids are the band that keep on giving. If it wasn’t enough that they smashed out one of the best albums of last year with their debut Lost Friends and dropped a delightful six-track mini-album earlier this year called New Songs For Old Problems, they’ve now embarked on a national tour throughout Australia.

The Sydney leg of the tour to promote New Songs For Old Problems was at Enmore Theatre, where singer Didirri did an impressive job of serenading the crowd before the headline act. His ability to command a large and bustling crowd with just his voice and acoustic guitar during tracks like I Can’t Get Last Night Out Of My Head is really commendable and there’s only good things on the horizon for this guy.

Didirri @ Enmore Theatre. Photo by Milly Mead.

Middle Kids wasted no time, busting out the anthemic Mistake to a feverishly excited crowd. Singer Hannah Joy’s choir-esque vocals translated wonderfully to the live setting, her voice managing to float over all the riffs and drumming to reach the very back of the venue with a real punch.

With a nice amount of chit chat and banter between songs, Middle Kids dove into a solid setlist covering both their debut album and their new EP. Maryland, Don’t Be Hiding and Bought It got some of the biggest responses from the crowd, with everyone happy to take on the chorus of Bought It, allowing Joy to dance up a storm on stage. 

Middle Kids @ Enmore Theatre. Photo by Milly Mead.

Impressively the band’s newer tracks managed to stand up in a setlist splattered with some of the most popular songs from last year. Call Me Snowflake had a passionate and gritty feel as Joy sang with a fiery determination and energy that’s almost become emblematic of the band. Beliefs And Prayers was another standout and perhaps gives more insight into the band’s uncanny ability to deliver genuinely introspective lyrics about some serious topics (death, poverty, division) wrapped up in really memorable and enjoyable melodies. 

The band closed with Edge Of Town, and a smattering of stage pyrotechnics for good measure, leaving the stage with a crowd of beaming fans singing out the closing number with them.