Words by Cornelia Rowe, photos by Nicky Digital.
All content courtesy of NickyDigital.com

Let’s face it: if you know New York, you know that this day in age, the playground for sharply-dressed, well-coiffed cool kids lies below 14th Street (or sometimes – subject to much debate – across the East River over to Brooklyn).

That’s why, on this unseasonably warm October night, it’s a little odd to walk down east 56th Street and stumble across throngs of chicly-clad boys and girls – many attired in fluorescents and old-school hip-hop throwback gear – talking and laughing and smoking cigarettes.

So why, on this Monday evenings, are they huddled outside a large brick building by the west side highway? One glance at the marquee says it all: Justice. Very few things can lure the downtown set up to the social wastelands of midtown Manhattan other than a popular French electro duo.

Tonight is Justice’s second gig at Terminal 5, the newest venue from the people at Bowery Presents, the concert-promoting team behind the much-loved Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom. In a past life, this multi-storied, 40,000-sq. foot space was Club Exit. Perhaps it’s an appropriate place, then, for a live show from a band synonymous with bouncing around in a club.

Upon entering the second level of the venue, I am greeted by the aforementioned beats and synths. People are gathered around the railing surrounding the open space, peering towards the stage, bobbing their heads and kind of smiling at one another. But it’s not Justice that’s playing, it is three thin, bearded gentlemen —clad in dark clothes and t-shirts, one donning the requisite leather jacket – thumping along merrily and warming up the crowd with a roster of spacey, synthy tunes. In between songs they speak to the crowd in a jovial Australian accent. When their set ends and their drummer tosses his sticks into the audience, a slight tumult ensues as people dash to grab one.

They are the Midnight Juggernauts, three lads from Down Under who met in high school, decided they wanted to play in a band together, and began jamming at friends’ parties. Despite being in one of the most isolated countries in the world, they managed to make their music known in Europe (thanks to the Internet, natch) and soon found themselves accruing a steady fan base there – not to mention in their homeland, as well – and winning over stalwart admirers in the music world like, well, Justice – who asked them to tour North America with them. The ideal opportunity for the group to showcase their EP, “Secrets of the Universe.”

Lucky for us, this high –profile gig, coupled with the warm reception they received from the normally-reserved New York crowd, hasn’t rendered the Midnight Juggernauts high and mighty. Following the gig, they were kind enough to trade watching their tour mates for getting a tape recorder thrusted at them, so that I might ask them a few questions…

Cornelia: So how did you guys hook up with Justice for this tour?

Vincent (Vocals, Synths): It’s all about the internet, I suppose. They knew our music through….well, dj’s will play our music out at clubs, and somehow our music has just traveled over the ‘net-

Andy (Vocals, Guitar): -and we met them in Australia for the first time. We had just finished our album, and they happened to be in Australia, and we gave them some music-

Cornelia: Did you just drop off your cd with them?

Andy: Actually, they just came over to my house for dinner. (Laughter).

Read the rest of Cornelia’s Interview with Midnight Juggernauts at NickyDigital.com

Midnight Juggernauts – Road To Recovery – Curses! Mix

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