DOUBLE DATE

Words: Em Tobin

Photography: Maddy Strydom (@strydomphotos)

double date by Maddy Strydom (@strydomphotos)

For Meanjin-raised hometown heroes double date, experimentation with the bounds of musicality is in tension with the intimacy of lyricism. Standing amongst the crowd at Season Three in late May, this intrinsic quality is apparent in their live performance. Double date dance across lines of passion and vulnerability, utilising the power of their sonicality to move with their music.

Late last year, their EP, in lampshade, made traction on the local and national stage. In lampshade is a dynamic push from the confines of traditional lyricism, with the band pulling free-flow verse and words to illustrate rich inner worlds. Simultaneously, the band has refined their sound to break borders of instrumentation, inspired by the works of some of indie music’s best. 

In this interview, double date reflects on the personal growth that arose from the transition from in lampshade to their latest single, new performance. New performance is a vast contrast from the quartet’s earlier sound, utilising their sonic maturity to write and produce a track grounded in raw experience. For double date, their single is a testament to experimentation and the gravity coexisting with world-building and reflection. 

EM: Off the back of your EP in lampshade, what does double date take from the process of writing and producing the work?

ELLIS: I think a big difference with the single as opposed to doing the EP was that it was a lot more collaborative. We were all a part of it, as opposed to in lampshade, which was predominantly Ben and I. That made a huge difference within the creative process. 

BEN: It definitely came together along a lot faster when compared to the EP, which was obviously a bigger project, but it was a bit of a slog. The single definitely came together quicker and felt more natural and easier for us all. A lot of that came from a bit more of the collaborative side of things. 

ELLIS: We were definitely all in the room together when we created it. It wasn’t like, just doing one thing and layering on the top of it, which happened a bit with the EP. The process was just different. 

double date by Maddy Strydom (@strydomphotos)

EM: I’m drawn to double date’s unconventional and eccentric lyricism, particularly in say it again. Can you walk me through the process of writing that track?

ELLIS: Interesting, I think for a lot of the double date lyrics, we definitely use a lot of stream-of-consciousness writing. It’s not, I’d say, meaningless, but a lot of it is quite improvised. I guess we were trying to harness the energy of the initial feeling. Yeah, I think for a track like say it again, I did the instrumental demo at home, and just freestyled the verses. That was what the song was, which is kind of weird to think about. 

EM: double date sometimes embodies a sort of drastic duality, fusing alternative rock and more intimate, slower tracks like cheryl lynn. Even so, the end of that track really draws in the distinct sound so apparent to the band. How do you incorporate a fusion of both sounds? 

ELLIS: I think a big part of double date is incorporating a lot of different things, and bringing it together under the larger band label. That song, for instance, sort of draws from a lot of different sounds. I think a really exciting thing about being in this project is having all these different sounds and ideas, incorporating a sort of shoegaze sound, or a more punk or general indie thing. 

WES: That song in particular, the demo was sort of like a smaller indie song that didn’t get really shoegazey or anything like that. It sort of developed into that as we were playing live, so I think that part of it also comes from the transition from demoing to playing live and working it out as a band. It got a bit more rocky and punky, so it combines where the demo was and where we’ve taken it experimentally, which is towards, ultimately, a more rock-esque sound. 

EM: What was your biggest takeaway or lesson from releasing in lampshade last year? 

BEN: I mean, just try to have fun with it and enjoy the music. As we said before, the recording process and everything like that was so hectic that it realistically wasn’t a good time, which isn’t what it’s all about. We’re obviously in this to have fun with our friends, play music, and do what we love. The biggest takeaway for me was that it should be more like that, and just to try and not lose sight of that. 

ELLIS: That was also the first more complete and comprehensive big project that any of us had put out before. A big takeaway for me was that even though the process leading up to the release was a bit shit and a bit of a slog, and I think the fact that we did it by ourselves and got to put it out really showed that we could do it. So much of this project was brought to fruition; we really did it. That was a huge thing, for me at least, to know that we could at least complete a big task over six to eight months; all this time and effort and planning turned into something. 

EM: Your single, new performance, is quite a clean breakaway from in lampshade. It’s so apparent that double date have really refined their sound. What musical influences did you draw from the sonic process? 

JETT: I think, honestly, we really drew from Shame. I remember Ellis wrote the demo for it ages ago, and then I was like, shit, I think we used a verse from me and then put it in. The demos Ellis and I were writing at the time were really Shame-type songs. I think definitely from the drums side of things, it was a lot more Shame-esque. It’s quite energetic and driving; that’s what I was aiming for. 

ELLIS: It was definitely coming in from bands like Media Puzzle, Dust as well; that’s who we’re sort of into. Also Gut Health.

EM: I’m really interested in the lyricism behind your single, new performance. It brings a new perspective on self-identity and how that is constructed and deconstructed through close relationships; can you walk me through the track? 

ELLIS: I think lived experience is really what I draw from. The lyrics are intentionally a bit abstract. This isn’t a stream of consciousness type of song; it’s trying to capture a feeling in broader terms. Without being too specific, it came from interpretation. I think the first time we played this song, I hadn’t finished the lyrics; I’d been going through a lot of things at the time, and I tried to interpret the situation. That’s really what ended up on the record. I would say that a big part of my personal self-identity is being able to do things, do music; I’m sure it’s the same for everyone else. It’s such a big part of all of our lives. 

double date by Maddy Strydom (@strydomphotos)

EM: Sonically double date’s full venture into the realm of sound is apparent instrumentally, across each individual member of the band. Why is it so important that double date embody individual sounds? 

BEN: I think it’s important because it’s like, almost a clear fusion of us as a band and each member. Our sound is unique because each member kind of just does their own thing; it’s not like we’re trying to make the band specifically sound like something. We’re just trying to play through what inspires us. For me, and my guitar parts, I’m really inspired by Shame, obviously. I’m not necessarily a guitarist in the post-punk or alt-rock world, but I’m trying to bring ideas in that sort of area inside to sort of connect with the band. 

JETT: I don’t know why I do the things I do, but a lot of the times when I’m writing, I’ll be like, can we just move this section a bunch of times to sort of improvise and listen to find a part I can work with. I feel like a lot of the times, I’m trying to express energy as much as possible through my drum parts. I’m not specifically sure where that comes from; it might be a Zack Hill type of thing, but I think a lot of the time I’m trying to express as much energy as possible. Ellis is always doing crazy stuff up the front, so that’s what I’m trying to do. 

WES: Ben was saying how his stuff isn’t necessarily post-punk influenced. I think for new performance, it’s definitely more post-punk; it’s very rhythmic. My parts are sort of about harmony, and I’m kind of just hitting my guitar something. It’s rhythmic and jaded. 

ELLIS: I feel like a lot of the times with this, like what Jett was saying about doing crazy shit, I think it’s about just following the energy of the song and trying to draw from particular sounds and do things in particular ways or formulas. It’s about really feeling it and doing what is sporadic or even bizarre at times. For a song like this, it’s about working with energy, for the vocals and with the bass. 

double date by Maddy Strydom (@strydomphotos)

EM: Double date are pioneers of the telephone mic. How does incorporating more unique and obscure elements of sound utilise your realm of musical experimentation? 

ELLIS: The telephone mic thing had a really big influence on our image; for one, it’s super distinct. Everyone’s always like, oh, you’re the band with the telephone mic. But I also think it helps with the sound because it works very differently to a normal mic and helps us experiment with our music. 

BEN: If we hadn’t used the telephone mic, I think we would have sounded very different. For us and the way we’ve used it, it ties us to more punk and rock sounds, stuff that’s distorted and abrasive. It’s very in your face, and our music was shaped more around that look, especially starting out and playing live. If we had a soft song that didn’t build or go anywhere, we used it to get a bit more aggressive. It influences, even subconsciously. 

ELLIS: It’s almost like a new instrument; when it came, it had a huge influence over our sound, particularly in the last twelve months. 

EM: Off the bat of your single, what’s next for double date, and what direction do you want to take the band headed into the second half of 2026?

ELLIS: Double date’s in a really interesting time, because we’re all very involved in different projects around the Brisbane music scene. We’re definitely just trying to keep on going and try new things; a big part at the start was just doing things. Doing a shoegaze song, a punk song, and an indie song, trying new things out. We’re entering a time again where we can just do things and not worry about songs making an EP, making things consistent once recorded. It’s just about doing things and playing music, and feeling good. 

BEN: In terms of 2026 for us, it’s less of a year of tangible things, from an audience perspective, but for us, it’s about fucking around and seeing what happens, trying to find our footing off the back of our EP. We want to figure out our sound, I think, definitely. 

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