Convenience Store and 00_ at Labour in Vain. The evening of Thursday March 9, 2023. Set times are 8:30pm, and 9:30pm. Pub closes at 1am. Please come — and try to feel the time-is-out-joint spin of  late-70s Fitzroy nostalgia mapping itself onto your sense of here and now. In the periphery of how you make sense of your youth there's a strange, flat past. It does not move if you shake your head.

Here's an artist blurb if that's helpful too:

Convenience Store is the Naarm/Melbourne music project of early-20s oddballs Nick Baker and Jack Hill. Their grassroots audience has grown both locally and abroad (in the USA and UK) with radio play on KEXP, RRR, Double J and Triple J. The duo obsessively record music in their DIY basement studio, creating inventive rock which invokes the emotive and messy sincerity of Alex G, Porridge Radio, and DIIV. Their eclectic sound tours through memories of indie rock, post- punk, electronic, and folk, and is unified by the dynamism of their recording style and unique songwriting. Their tracks–like their inspirations–reach in different directions but are unified by the sorts of questions they ask: How else might we live? What is Australia? What good is love?

Surfs up! Join us for a big night of tubular tones when Going Swimming join forces with the big ol’ dreamgazers Gush on Thurs Feb 23rd

Free Entry
8pm

Join us for a mystery band + Dj Lou Rose

BB Sabina (vocals, guitar, synth) is joined by Warrick Newman (bass, synth) and Travis Germaine (drums), bringing to life all the dimensions of BB Sabina's music ranging from immersive psych-tinged dream pop to PJ Harvey inspired rock. Sudden Debt is a 3 piece from Melbourne. The band uses noise, tremolo, delay, drum pads, vocal effects and bass chorus. 

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BB SABINA’s music is an immersive experience, drenched in rich guitar tones and emotive lyricism that draws inspiration from living in Mparntwe (Alice Springs). In 2019, BB Sabina collaborated with ARIA-nominated producer Evelyn Ida Morris (Pikelet) to release her debut EP which received airplay on Double J and PBS.

Relocating to Naarm in 2020, BB Sabina (vocals, guitar, synth) is now joined by a new lineup- Warrick Newman (bass) and Travis Germaine (drums), bringing to life all the dimensions of BB Sabina's music ranging from immersive psych-tinged dream pop to PJ Harvey inspired rock.

"Powerful and captivating debut EP" - Music Feeds
https://bbsabina.bandcamp.com/

SUDDEN DEBT is a 3 piece from Melbourne. The band uses noise, tremolo, delay, drum pads, vocal effects and bass chorus. Band members include members of Heart Beach (Spunk!, Kingfisher Bluez, Rough Skies) and Ivy St (Wireless). Band members include members of Heart Beach (Spunk!, Kingfisher Bluez, Rough Skies) and Ivy St (Wireless).

https://suddendebt.bandcamp.com/

BB Sabina and Sudden Debt acknowledge that we are performing on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations and pay our respects to Elders past and present, and acknowledge that their sovereignty has never been ceded.  

Lovers of fun rejoice! 60's French pop girl group Les Yé-Yé Girls are back at the Labour this Valentine’s day 💗! With support from the devilishly dynamic Double Vanity.

Adelaide’s own “Ricky Albeck and the Latest Rendition of his Belair Line Band” are coming to Melbourne for the very first time. The show will kick of at 8pm on Friday the 3rd of February. Ricky and the band will be joined by Alex Hamilton and Elsie Lange as well as their respective bands. The show is a free show and it’s not to be missed, as these opportunities only come around once in a very blue moon. Beautiful poster by friend of the group, Maisie Gilchrist.

Doors 8pm
Free Entry

FB event : https://www.facebook.com/events/1392128081526883

Your favourite slack-jawed vocalists are beaming down from planet rock this Thursday evening to bring you one sensational night of cucumber-cool guitar pop. Take a lean, a squat or simply stand and enjoy the fresh faced and new-to-earth charisma of PERMITS. Supported by special guest Phoebe Robertson.

Doors 8pm
Free Entry

Join the undisputed guitar pop hero Jarrow plus special guests The Great Divides.

8pm
Free Entry

Join The Rayes and friends The Dirt and Clio Renner for a funky, catchy, special night at Labour in Vain! 

THE RAYES - Hailing from Seattle, USA, indie folk-rock band, The Rayes, charge their music with rich vocal harmonies and compelling intonation that holds listeners close as if by a friend. Playful, McCartney-esque basslines; lilting harmonies; and rhythmic guitar hold steady as a scaffolding to songs that are intimate and evocative.

8pm
Free Entry

Join major stars The Mirrors as they gently sweep you into the corner of love.
Supported by new favs Back Pocket!

8pm start
Free Entry

Playing together again for the first time since their split 7” vinyl launch earlier this year, Winternationale and Town Ace bring their shake, rattle & roll to the Labour In Vain front bar on Saturday October 1st for two sets of post-punk / pop-noire not to be missed.

Doors at 8pm
Free entry

Join Charlotte Le Lievre and her band for a special show to celebrate the launch of her debut single ‘If I'd Looked With My Heart’.

W/ support from country sweethearts the Iron Bark Brothers.
8pm
Free Entry

Moody, starry-eyed kids on the block Great ~ Falls will be making their Labour in Vain debut on the 29th of September. Fresh from the salty southside sea, they come with songs that are steeped with briny memories, sodden with a yearning for the past. Forget the beach and your St. Kilda sunsets, bring your 50+ sunscreen and bathe in the nostalgic warmth of Great Falls. They will be joined by Labor in Vain regulars Sore Eyes.

“We are pleased to have a Sunday session at The Labour In Vain. Very keen to play at this beloved venue!" - Angie Throw, 2022


Doors at 6pm
Free entry

Join us for the grande finale of HEARTWORN THURSDAYS.

Featuring Jess Parker + Sean McMahon and the Owls

Sponsored by BODRIGGY

8pm
Free Entry

Night 3 of 4 of HEARTWORN THURSDAYS with special guest Kerryn Fields.

Sponsored by BODRIGGY.
8pm
Free Entry

EXCITING NEWS! Melbourne’s finest Yacht Rock cover band ‘Kahlua Breeze’ will be playing their first show since December 2021. TWO sets of your fave breezy soft rock classics from Steely Dan to TOTO & much much more!

From 8pm -
Free Entry

The Heartworn Thursdays residency continues with special guests Foggy Notion.

8pm
Free Entry

Night 1 of 4 of HEARTWORN THURSDAYS - A special residency co-presented by Heartworn MGMT - Sponsored by BODRIGGY. First up is Mitch Dillon & The Compulsive Ramblers + The Brakes.

8pm
Free Entry

Join us for a rockin' FREE SHOW! Summer Flake has been road testing heaps of new songs lately and we might sneak in some oldies at the Labour if you're lucky.

The Neuros are so sick and their debut 7" EP has just sold out. Here's hoping Shipping Steel Records brings a couple sneaky copies to the venue on this eve.

See you soon x