The year is 1997; Y2K fever is still a few years away, the first Harry Potter book is published and social distancing is hinted at by Jack not joining Rose on the floating door as Titanic dominated the silver screens. But closer to home, another iconic Aussie zeitgeist sprung to life, conjured in a condemned warehouse in Fortitude Valley with vivid retro pop, occasionally snarling alt rock and hip hop shimmers culminating in Regurgitator's sophomore album Unit. Two decades on back in 2017, the beloved trio celebrated the twentieth anniversary and legacy of that endearing and innovative little yellow sphere with a performance on the Gold Coast, unleashing UNIT20 at the EB Games 20th anniversary games conference (and, lucky us, also filming the event , with the performance immortalised in celluloid). And while 2021 may still be struggling to find its feet following the utter calamity of 2020, the new year is already looking up, with the glitz and kooky glamour of UNIT20 coming to theatres all over the country, kicking off last night in Melbourne and making its way all over the country for the next few months.
Unit is but a pixel in time. A spec in the Australian music cultural cosmos. In itself a chimerical reaction to a love of music past. Forged in a self-created Dirty Room studio in the Fortitude Valley over a few weeks in August 1997 after returning from an extensive US tour with Helmet & The Melvins… then set adrift in the molecular world by Warner Music on NOV 3 1997. First conveyed into the live stratosphere at a ski club in the northern climes of Darwin on a balmy Halloween eve…this self-effacing monster of a retrotech platter stirred the self-styled opening jeer of "I like your old stuff better than your new stuff", tumbling all that chose to follow into the rapidly embraced new stuff of beeps, blips and all out pop-rockin' fun. Unit resolutely found its link in the musical DNA of the day and 20 years down the track this yellow dot still glows with all the intensity it rose that day to greet us with.The UNIT20 collaboration with EB Games strived for a unique multi-dimensional ocular moment, the only live revisitation that was emitted across the double decade point in time… and even more the gratification to have been joined in that celebration by musical compatriots Art vs Science along with 7 Bit Hero to help transmit the light and sound. Pong on indeed!
Featuring the only performance the 'Gurge did to celebrate their epochal album (plus a few treats beyond Unit for good measure), and co-produced with Trent Weekes, come witness Regurgitator step into the cinematic universe and experience UNIT20 on the silver screen.
Tour dates + ticket info below.
FRI 29 JAN 7.00pm
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE canberra
Civic Square, London Circuit ACT
tickets from canberratheatrecentre.com.au
FRI 29 JAN 7.00pm
STAR COURT THEATRE lismore
126 Molesworth St Lismore
tickets from https://www.starcourttheatre.com.au/events
SAT 6 FEB 9.00pm & SUN 7 FEB 4.00pm
NEW FARM CINEMAS brisbane
701 Brunswick Street, New Farm, QLD 4005
tickets from fivestarcinemas.com.au/new-farm
SAT 6 FEB 4.00pm
THE RITZ sydney
45 St Pauls St Randwick NSW 2500
tickets from www.ritzcinemas.com.au
WED 17 FEB 7.00pm THE CAMBRIDGE newcastle
789 Hunter St Newcastle NSW
tickets from https://thecambridgehotel.oztix.com.au/
WED 3 MARCH doors 6.45pm film 7.45pm
LUNA OUTDOOR CINEMA perth
155 Oxford St Leederville, Perth
tickets from http://outdoor.lunapalace.com.au/
SAT 6 MARCH 7.30pm
THE CAPRI adelaide
141 Goodwood Rd Goodwood, Adelaide
tickets from https://capri.org.au/
Directed, filmed & edited by David Granato (Polygranate Films). Visuals by Ken Weston. Sound by Greg Jard. Presented by Consume & Valve. 2020
BY TIANA SPETER