Local Smackdown

KINGSCLIFF grunge outfit Eyesite are bringing their raw, nostalgic sound to the Coolangatta Hotel next month, driven by 90s alt-rock influences and a growing Northern Rivers music scene.

The band, formed out of high school friendships, features Harris Brooker on vocals and guitar, Flynn Thompson on drums, Louis Thompson on lead guitar and Jordan Green on bass.

“We were originally named after our school’s detention room Lab 7, but that aged fairly quickly,” Brooker said.

Formed as a live act in 2022, Eyesite quickly built a following across local venues with a sound rooted in grunge and shaped by influences passed down through family.

“We weren’t born when grunge was peak, but I was heavily influenced by my dad and uncles, so it has always been something I wanted to sound like,” Brooker said.

The atmosphere at their gigs stays true to that heritage, with moshing a common feature among crowds.

“Our big local gigs that are attended by lots of our mates always get rowdy,” Brooker said.

While chaotic, the energy feeds back into the band’s performances.

“You see your mate in the crowd getting flung around and it makes us play harder because we want to see them get messed up!” he said.

Brooker said newer material reflects a shift in tone, particularly across their EP Figure Eight.

“The core has stayed the same, but we now have some emotional alt rock and pop influences creeping in,” he said.

He cites mates, relationships and film as key influences, with the band’s sound evolving alongside a more direct approach to songwriting.

“I think the more honest you are when writing, the more relatable the song becomes,” he said.

“When I was younger, I was trying to write like those 90s grunge bands, but our newer EP and album that we are currently writing is more honest to myself and feels like how we were meant to sound.”

The band still keeps a light touch in the creative process.

Flynn Thompson recalled a moment during the writing of the track Pines where a line from a beer can made it into the final lyrics.

“Harris was struggling to come up with some lyrics in the chorus and turned to us for help,” Thompson said.

“I was in the middle of enjoying a 4 Pines beer and there is a quote on the can that says, ‘tomorrow’s winds will blow tomorrow’, which I said to him.”

“It wasn’t till weeks later that they realised I had just read it from a beer can!” he said.

Kingscliff may seem an unlikely home for a grunge band, but Brooker said the town has produced more heavy acts than people might expect.

“You’d be surprised how many heavy bands come out of Kingy,” Brooker said.

“We’ve got lots of high school mates in other bands and it is a distinct sounding flavour.”

Thompson said the broader Northern Rivers alternative scene is growing steadily, supported by local venues and grassroots organisers.

“There’s a lot of young up and coming bands who are all a big part of that,” he said.

“There’s also some really great people who are running their own shows and they give us local bands great opportunities to meet people, network and play.”

Eyesite are also contributing to that growth through their annual Local Smackdown event at the Coolangatta Hotel, aimed at showcasing emerging acts and building community.

“This is something we try and build on every year, and we are hoping to make it a known local event annually,” Louis Thompson said.

“It is always filled with our best mates and family, and it usually gets pretty loose.”

Eyesite will play their Local Smackdown show on May 2 from 8pm at the Coolangatta Hotel, supported by Lorien Layne and Brisbane-based Porcelain.

Tickets are available through Oztix.