Hands Like Houses ‘Lotus EP Tour’ @ Manning Bar Sydney 17/04/2026

Now and then there are bands that for better or worse, are worth sticking around for over the years despite negative experiences in the past. Let me elaborate. 

Now, Canberra’s alternative rock trailblazers Hands Like Houses return to Aussie stages in celebration of their upcoming EP releasing next month titled ‘Lotus’. In addition to the drop of ‘Lotus’ tonight they are supported  on stage by  Dream on Dreamer who they recently collaborated with for the single ‘Dead’.

Then there’s the last time I saw these guys at the Enmore Theatre in Feb 2019 on their ‘Anon’ album tour, when the crowd were, let’s just say, unsavoury. Several undesirable patrons nearly received a facial implant baring a striking resemblance to the twenty or so rings I was wearing at the time. Now let’s see if I have a more enjoyable experience tonight.

To put now and then into perspective, now, the band are playing in a pub venue holding maximum 900 people who have to  all be over 18 years old. Then, when the band played at the Enmore, that venue holds maximum 2500 capacity and was all ages. You may think that a pub venue would mean the crowd would more likely be drunk and rowdy, and that’s a fair assumption. However, I’ve found that especially for hard-hitting rock bands like these guys, it’s the 15-18 year-old guys with way too much testosterone and way too much to overcompensate for, that are the worst.

One positive sign is that even when the band start the first song, I’ve got ample room to move here at the front barrier, despite the venue looking close to if not actually at max capacity. Even though the first song is upbeat and has a kind of mysterious whimsical vibe to it, giving off the sense of building to something bigger, the energy doesn’t fully hit until the second song, and still, I know first hand the band have more hiding up their sleeves.

As the set trudges on I’m very thankful that the sound mix isn’t as it was for the first two opening bands, in that the bass drowned out the vocals something fierce. I mean the mix for Hands Like Houses isn’t perfect and the bass is still domineering, but luckily lead singer Josh’s stunning voice that transitions from earnest vulnerability to biting savagery still reigns supreme. The acoustics of this venue with carpeted flooring and I’m pretty sure carpet and/or curtains on the side walls absorbs the sound nicely and doesn’t bounce the sound around causing echoing or unwanted resonance. Instead, the mix is warm and intimate. So if the bass were turned down a bit it would take that sting off the palate like adding a couple of ice-cubes to soften an alcoholic drink.

Still, just like back then in 2019, the stage is ablaze with movement as the band give us everything they’ve got, including lead singer Josh leaving the stage early in the set to come rock out with us in the crowd, spiking our energies nicely! It seems like both musically and with the vibe in the audience around me, the energy keeps building higher and higher as the set moves on, but thankfully, without incidents or undesirables that may like a 24 ring imprint in their face.

We’re treated to songs ranging from the bands vast catalogue of tracks including ‘Overthinking’, ‘Through Glass’, ‘I Am’, ‘Colourblind’ and recently released tracks ‘Warning Signs’ and ‘Flowers’. Plus the band bring back out onto the stage members of Dream On Dreamer to perform the collaborative single ‘Dead’.

All in all at the end of the night, even though the band didn’t play my favourite song ‘Tilt’ and I wasn’t feeling it to unleash energy and really rock out like I did at  Linkin Park last month. Tonight was  far more enjoyable then last time , as this show  was simply a fun, musically punchy high energy, great sounding rock show!

For better or worse, I’ll be keeping a Keen Eye out for the ‘Lotus’ EP dropping next month and for tour dates to follow!