New discoveries and heavy sounds: a night with outer worlds, matahari and jupiter the giant
- Elissa Marie
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Outer worlds took to the stage at THE Catfish hotel on Friday 17th and They did not disappoint!
heading into the gig, i only knew the band's name; not their sound, so i wasn't sure what to expect. from the very first note though, i was caught completely off guard in the best way possible. their sound hit hard immediately and i was instantly hooked.
the energy never dipped for a second. it felt less like a band returning to the stage after time away and more like they had been playing to packed rooms every weekend.
if you weren't moshing, you were jumping on the spot or headbanging along. the room was packed wall to wall and the crowd screamed every lyric back at the band. the catfish's intimate venue only added to the experience. rather than being confined by the stage, outerworlds embraced the space, connecting with the crowd at every opportunity. the reactions were immediate: people were losing their minds and demanding more by the end of the set.
and honestly, so was i..
a special mention has to go to Coreys screams; the aggression, control and passion behind them were insane to witness up close. that's the magic of small shows, you're close enough to feel every hit, every scream and every moment of connection between the band and crowd.
the whole night was a reminder of why the local heavy scene is so exciting right now: high energy, heavy riffs, relentless crowd moments and a band that knows exactly how to command a room.
also, seeing by how wild the pit became around me, i came dangerously close to getting dragged into the mosh myself.
outer worlds delivered a tight, well executed production and a set that left the room wanting more.
exactly what a great live show should do!!!
MATAHARI
matahari were the second band to hit the stage and they definitely didn't disappoint. from older tracks to their current material, they delivered song after song with the crowd fully embracing their performance. heads were banging, cheers were filling the room and i found myself doing the same.
shinae was a standout throughout the performance, showcasing impressive vocal versatility by moving between powerful clean vocals and aggressive screams. her stage presence helped drive the energy of the set, keeping the audience engaged from beginning to end.
behind the kit, alex delivered a performance providing the intensity and precision needed to support the band's heavier sound. while he wasn't always visible from the crowd, his impact could definitely be felt through every song.
alan brought plenty of movement and energy to the stage, combining technical guitar work. his backing vocals also complemented shinae's performance, adding another layer to the band's overall sound.
although connor was unable to perform on the night, his bass part remained an important part of matahari's overall sound, helping create the heaviness and depth that defines their music.
what stood out about MATAHARI WAS THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN EACH MEMBER. EVERYONE BROUGHT SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THE STAGE, CREATING A PERFORMANCE THAT FELT ENERGETIC AND GENUINE. BEYOND THE MUSIC, THE BAND'S PASSION WAS CLEAR WHEN SPEAKING WITH THEM AFTER THE SHOW. THEY ARE A GROUP WHO GENUINELY ENJOYS WHAT THEY DO.
IM GLAD, I HAD THE CHANCE TO CATCH MATAHARI'S SET ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND EXPERIENCE THEIR LIVE PERFORMANCE. WITH THEIR ENERGY AND PASSION, IT WILL BE EXCITING TO SEE WHERE THEY CONTINUE TO TAKE THEIR SOUND THROUGHOUT 2026.
GO CHECK THEM OUT IF YOU HAVENT!!!
JUPITAR THE GIANT
JUPITAR THE GIANT OPENED THE NIGHT AND SET THE TONE FOR THE REST OF THE LINEUP. HAVING NEVER HEARD OF THE BAND BEFORE, I WAS INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THEY WOULD BRING TO THE STAGE AND WHAT THEIR SOUND WAS ALL ABOUT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I MISSED THE BEGINNING OF THEIR SET, BUT FROM THE SONGS I WAS ABLE TO CATCH, THEY IMMEDIATELY GRABBED MY ATTENTION. THEIR HEAVY SOUND AND ENERGY HAD ME HEADBANGING ALONG AND WANTING MORE.
EVEN WITH ONLY EXPERIENCING PART OF THEIR PERFORMANCE, JUPITAR THE GIANT MADE A STRONG IMPRESSION AND PROVED THEY WERE FITTING BAND TO KICK OFF THE NIGHT.
LOVE THE NAME BY THE WAY!!!
