As hopeless devotees of everything indie and alternative, we’re always hoping against hope that the next tune to come on at the club won’t be the new EDM banger or top 40 hit, but instead an undeniable indie anthem (possibly ending in a singalong).
Soon, the party-starting crew at Melbourne’s Perseverance are granting our wish and kicking off LOUD Thursdays – a free night of indie, alt and pop punk anthems on Thursday December 7 – pretty much our perfect night.
They’re asking everyone to pick the ideal song to kick the night off, and giving away a fifty buck bar tab to the winner, so we’ve got a few suggestions of our own for what we reckon are eight of the biggest and best indie/alt anthems to get the dance floor packed.
‘Mr Brightside’ – The Killers
Comin’ out of my cage and I’ve been doing JUST FINE. This is one designated party starter. A bit of an anomaly in that no one seems to ever be able to remember learning the words to it, so it can only be assumed that we all come out of the womb with the lyrics all already in our brains.
‘Hard Times’ – Paramore
‘Hard Times’ certainly feels like an appropriate mood for 2017. This absolute banger makes you want to boogie with it’s upbeat tempo. Maybe ignore the lyrics about crippling anxiety if you’re trying to get your party on though.
‘MakeDamnSure’ – Taking Back Sunday
Nothing gets a dance floor pumping quite like Adam Lazzara brooding about keeping his love interest hostage because he loves her so much. The best moment is when everybody inevitably sings along dramatically to the final chorus “I’m gonna make DAAAAAAAAMN SUUUUUUUUURE”.
‘Make War’ – From First To Last
Just when we’d thought we’d seen the last of Sonny Moore forever, he dropped his Skrillex moniker to jump back in to his original musical project From First To Last. Emos around the world REJOICED. They even took the stage together earlier this year to play it live at Emo Nite in Los Angeles, just in case you need proof that it’s a designated party starter.
‘Pittsburgh‘ – The Amity Affliction
It’s a classic. It’s a fan favourite. It has a chorus that you want to sing along to. It’s as simple as that.
‘Teenage Dirtbag’ – Wheatus
No party playlist is truly complete without ‘Teenage Dirtbag’. It is simply iconic, and transcends both genre and time. If you’re so inclined, the lyrics can be changed from “listen to Iron Maiden baby, with me” to “listen to FOB and My Chem baby, with me”. Just a suggestion.
‘In Bloom’ – Neck Deep
A party starter doesn’t have to be 180bpm, pals. Not to be confused with the Nirvana song of the exact same name, this is one of the newer bangers on the list. While not a Nirvana cover, it’s still guaranteed to fill a dance floor and get a room singing along. Sad boy pop-punk is still valid party music.
‘She’s Out Of Her Mind’ – Blink-182
Blink-182’s latest album has received a lot of flack. But we’re here to tell you that there is actually some real quality on California. Including this one. Worth watching the music video for, based solely on the fact that it’s a direct gender-shift from ‘What’s My Age Again‘.
