Review: Sounds Sick’s Sickest 100 @ Unibar Adelaide 17/01/26
Sounds Sick ‘Sickest 100’ is by far one of the most important events for the Adelaide scene. Our very own ‘Hottest 100’ showcases the best local sounds of 2025, bringing together bands, artists, and music lovers for a night of celebration.
Words Ella Bruce // Images Bella Gleeson
sounds sick sickest 100 Countdown 2025 w/towns, molly rocket + the hazys
Sounds Sick ‘Sickest 100’ is by far one of the most important events for the Adelaide scene. Our very own ‘Hottest 100’ showcases the best local sounds of 2025, bringing together the bands, artists, and music lovers for a night of celebration.
UniBar housed the annual event for its 3rd time, hosting the live broadcast of the countdown, markets, and the after party later on. The markets featured talented local artists, jewellery makers, second hand clothing, and band merch. I was lucky enough to arrive early to check out all the incredible creations, the craftsmanship blew me away. I was able to spend the rest of the day listening to the different hosts on the radio broadcast, and enjoying the tunes Adelaide bands pumped out last year.
As the day progressed, the anticipation set in for the final top 10. Everyone gathered in the UniBar courtyard, excited to hear who was going to take out top prize. As Molly Rocket’s latest single ‘When He Walks Around’, played over the speakers, the crowd cheered and sang in support of the most voted local song of 2025.
READ MORE: Review: The Last Dinner Party @ AEC Theatre 13/01/26
Now it was time to party. First on the ballot was 5-piece indie rock band The Hazys. The Hazys had an impressive day in the countdown, placing 6th and 2nd with their two latest singles. Punters were eager to see them all riled up after a day of excitement. Immediately, demanding the crowd to “dance!” The Hazys’ members led by example on stage with their groovy moves. You could tell they were eager to party, and their excited energy was bursting out of them, making their performance even better. Spoilt for choice, 4 out of 5 of the members are brilliant singers, and when all of their voices harmonised, they complimented each other beautifully. After a ‘Bluey’ inspired introduction of the band members, the crowd was pleased to hear unreleased tunes ‘This Is It’ and ‘Provoke’. The band pulled out all the stops for the special event, even bringing up Kyle from Destinezia - another local band which placed in the countdown. The guitarist jumped up and the supergroup went straight into their “secret cover”, surprising the crowd with more local sounds, playing a purely passionate and firey rendition of ‘Five Dollar Stranger’ by Purée. To end the set, we celebrated the 1st birthday and 6th place win of their track ‘Victimised’, and lastly of course, their latest release ‘Common Ground’, and its Sickest 100 silver medal. The Hazy’s put on a hell of a show, the ultimate opening act to get everyone pumped.
Up next and packing a punch, Molly Rocket picked up the pace and immediately got the crowd rowdy. On a high from taking out the number one spot in the countdown (and opening for DZ Deathrays on the same night), Molly Rocket rocked out. The census I gathered from everyone earlier in the day, was that they were keen to see Molly Rocket. It was my first time seeing them live, and they definitely did not disappoint.
Playing ‘God Damn’, ‘Methany’ and ‘Kiss You Dead’, they had the crowd moshing, screaming, singing and crowd surfing - even a guy on crutches was dancing. The energy in the room was off the charts; you could feel the excitement and adoration radiating from the crowd. And Molly Rocket was just fuelling the fire. Next on the setlist, was ‘DIVE’, their 2022 single, where guitarist and singer, Georgie, ordered everyone to “get down” during the bridge of the song. A lot of beer was spilt, and it tested everyone’s ability to be able to stand up straight. As the climax of the bridge neared and the words “wanna take a dive” left Georgie’s mouth, the crowd erupted into one big mosh circle. That was the highlight of my night. Not only was it FUN, but it proved the incredible control and influence the band had over everyone in the room. Each member of the band looked like they were having just as much fun as all of us, jumping around on stage and feeding off the energy from the crowd. Finally, they played what we were all waiting to hear, their winning song ‘When He Walks Around’ which sent the crowd into a frenzy, leaving them wanting so much more. This sparked demands of “one more song” and Molly Rocket returned with an encore, a cover of Pixies’, ‘Debaser’, a phenomenal way to end their set.
Lastly, the headline act TOWNS brought their explosive pop punk energy to the UniBar stage. For a 2-piece band they have a huge stage presence and know how to make a lot of noise. Taking inspiration from the 90’s/2000’s skate punk scene, TOWNS have established their own unique sound, with their 2024 album Sentimental Slowdown. Unfortunately, lovers of the band weren’t able to vote for them in this year’s Sickest 100, as the debut album missed the cut off. However, members Dan and Aston spent majority of their day as guests on the live broadcast of the countdown.
Starting strong, TOWNS played ‘Feel The Release’, the opening track on the new album, to get the crowd warmed up for a packed setlist. The band treated fans to a mix of new and old songs, even playing some off their first EP, Television, including ‘I Don’t Mind’, and ‘World Wind’, for their OG listeners. The versatility in songs and pace took the audience on a journey with them, from swaying and bopping to ‘98’, to screaming the lyrics of ‘l8tley’. Dan and Aston were incredibly entertaining for the crowd to watch, with frontman Aston, running around the whole stage, shredding his guitar on the ground, laying on his back, and hitting every note as soon as he got back to the mic. Dan’s captivating drumming had me in awe, playing with relentless speed and flawless timing. I stood there for a moment picking up my jaw, before getting back into dancing with the crowd. TOWNS also allowed us to be the first to listen to a “never-heard-before new song”, with punky rap-esque verses and a short catchy chorus which the audience quickly learnt and sung along with. ‘Season 5 (Break My Fall)’, was the final song of the night, blessing our ears with the familiar tune off EP, things you might feel sometimes. TOWNS was the perfect way to close the event, everyone singing along, arm in arm.
Sounds Sick’s ‘Sickest 100’ not only highlighted and rewarded the talent Adelaide has to offer, but it united a community of musicians, artists, music lovers, and gig goers. It was a great environment to be in, and incredible to see the support from everyone who attended the show. The event emphasised the importance of supporting local art, something that everyone in the scene personally resonates with.
