ELECTRO hit-makers Pnau and pop-rock heavyweights The Rubens will kick-start the return of live music at the University of Newcastle's Bar On The Hill in a massive double-header weekend.
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While The Rubens' show at the Callaghan campus was initially announced last year and rescheduled several times before settling on Saturday, April 17, Pnau's April 16 show was only announced on Tuesday.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the University's more stringent restrictions aimed at limiting non-students from the campus, the Bar On The Hill hasn't hosted live music since hardcore act The Amity Affliction performed at the venue in January 2020.
Both the Pnau and Rubens shows will be held outside the Bar On The Hill in the nearby quadrangle, which boasts a COVID-safe capacity of 1300 people.
The show will also be Pnau's first full band show in 16 months. Vocalist Kira Divine, who is based in the US, is due to fly into Australia on Thursday where she'll complete her two-week hotel quarantine a day before the Newcastle gig.
Pnau are also scheduled to perform at Wollongong's Yours & Owls Festival on April 18.
"I've worked with their their agent to make the show happen and the timing worked at really well," Bar On The Hill promoter Greg Mathew said. "They've played the Bar On The Hill before and sold out.
"Whilst there's still designated seating required, it's great to see shows of that capacity being approved at Newcastle University, especially when it's been a quiet start to the year for students."
The Changes and Go Bang hit-makers last performed at the Uni in July 2018 which the Newcastle Herald judged as the Hunter's best gig that year.
The psychedelic lighting display conjured up to match Nick and Sam Littlemore and Peter Mayes' pulsating brand of electro-pop had Callaghan heaving on the winter's night.
We wrote: "For the next 70 minutes the University of Newcastle was treated to a dazzling performance of unbridled energy that was both sonically and visually mesmerising."
Since the release of their 2017 comeback album Changa, Pnau have released the disco-tinged single Solid Gold in 2019 featuring Divine and Marques Toliver and the dance anthem All Of Us. Then last year Pnau released a collaborative single with New Zealand indie-pop artist Ladyhawke, called The River.
"We're pretty excited because they're two really big gigs to hopefully help the Newcastle live music scene bounce back," Mathew said.
Pnau perform at the Bar On The Hill on April 16, followed by The Rubens on April 17.