These are the best Sydney gigs to catch in July

This month’s top five gig recommendations include a home-grown pop star in the making, shoegaze comeback kids, NYC indie icons, the world’s most famous flautist and the Weeknd’s mate.

Sycco

Carriageworks, July 6

At the tender age of 21, Erub artist Sycco (Sasha McLeod) already has an excellent EP and a string of fantastic singles to her name that dabble in everything from psychedelia to pop geared toward the dance floor.

This free NAIDOC event, part of the Carriageworks Nights series, will no doubt showcase the reason Sycco has amassed millions of streams and drawn the attention of everyone from Vogue to Billboard, with this full-band gig the perfect opportunity to catch an Aussie star on the ascent.

The event will also offer food and beverages from award-winning Aboriginal-owned cafe Indigiearth plus a slew of other performers: Murrawarri hip-hopper Dobby, and Ngiyampaa/Yuin/Bandjalung/Gumbangirr violinist Eric Avery, plus spoken word and poetry from Kirli Saunders (Gunai) and Jazz Money (Wiradjuri). Register at carriageworks.com.au/events/naidoc

Oneohtrix Point Never

City Recital Hall, July 14

The man born Daniel Lopatin has had a career arc more interesting than most.

Emerging as an experimental electronic artist during the late ’00s with wobbly synth music that dabbled in ’80s kitsch and new-age sounds, Lopatin eventually graduated to scoring films, the last of which was Uncut Gems starring Adam Sandler and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye.

That job has led to Lopatin becoming a frequent Tesfaye collaborator, including co-producing his last album and serving as the musical director for his Super Bowl LV half-time show in 2021.

An odd journey to be sure, but one achieved thanks to an accomplished and varied discography that makes sense when you consider Lopatin’s chief inspirations include Mahavishnu Orchestra, DJ Premier and My Bloody Valentine.

If a night of mind-bending electronic music sounds like your bag, this is a must-see.

Slowdive

Enmore Theatre, July 21

It’s incredibly rare for a band to return after a 22-year absence with music that’s on par with their best, and perhaps even rarer for that same band to become critical darlings after being derided by certain corners of the music press the first time around.

UK five-piece Slowdive have achieved both feats, beating the “shoegaze also-rans” label with which they were unjustly lumped in the ’90s to become a band praised for both their transcendent live shows and influential music.

This gig comes on the heels of a cancelled appearance at the Daydream festival with Modest Mouse in April due to drummer Simon Scott copping a back injury that has since healed.

With fifth album everything is alive arriving on September 1, their first since a lauded self-titled LP in 2017, expect a smattering of new tunes to accompany the old favourites.

Lizzo

Qudos Bank Arena, July 23-24

If anyone’s going to be familiar with the fickle nature of pop stardom, it’s Melissa Jefferson – or, as she’s known to her substantial number of fans, Lizzo.

The rapper, singer and actor was rightfully disheartened when her single Truth Hurts tanked in 2017, only to see it unexpectedly gain popularity in 2019, largely due to going viral on TikTok.

The end result? The song becoming a chart-topping, multi-platinum monster smash that scooped Lizzo a Grammy.

Streaming numbers in the billions should let you know just how popular Lizzo and her self-empowerment anthems have become. Her celebratory live shows are the perfect place to see Lizzo do what she does best – including, it turns out, playing the flute quite spectacularly.

Feeling good as hell? All but guaranteed.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Hordern Pavilion, July 24

Lizzy Goodman’s book Meet Me in the Bathroom and the subsequent documentary film based on it have done a fantastic job of shining a light back on New York City’s thriving indie-rock scene during the ’00s, with Yeah Yeah Yeahs being one of its brightest beacons.

That largely came down to the three-piece band’s incendiary live shows, which involved frontwoman Karen O often putting her body on the line.

The wild stage antics may have eased up a bit over the years but Yeah Yeah Yeahs still know how to put on a thrilling rock’n’roll show, with the group touring off the back of last year’s excellent Cool It Down, their first album of new material in close to a decade.

Which music artists are you looking forward to seeing this month? Some of the UK’s finest, including Loyle Carner, Arlo Parks and Little Simz? Or perhaps some home-grown goodness from the likes of Katy Steele (formerly of Little Birdy), Hockey Dad and Ruby Fields, Salarymen, or the Waifs and Josh Pyke? Or perhaps some pop heavy-hitters in the form of J Balvin, Tove Lo or Noah Cyrus? Let us know in the comments.