‘A Night At The Mirage’ is the new album from nipaluna/Hobart polemic garage-punks, 208L Containers. It’s the band’s third release and debut on vinyl, issued on limited LP (150 copies) and digitally through Rough Skies Records.

With their first two releases, Knitted Family Helmet and Horseland (now sold out), the band delivered playfully scathing jabs at a range of esoteric topics from Airbnb, former Tasmanian premiers, George Brandis’ metadata interview and luxury car usage in nipaluna/Hobart. For their first vinyl release, 208L Containers have taken a bold creative turn. Their focus has pivoted from our current social/political landscape to a fixation with an absurd historical moment from the 1990s: Australian TV personality Andrew Denton’s ill-fated attempt to raise enough money to hire a bounty hunter to capture corrupt millionaire businessman Christopher Skase from his Spanish island hideaway and send him back to Australia to face trial. ‘A Night At The Mirage’ is a concept album rollicking through Nazi-run cafes in Paraguay, doomed Tasmanian IT start-ups, nudity on the ABC and “Mad Mondays” at the Mirage Resort.

Mr Denton was contacted – the band felt it was the right thing to do given the album art is a portrait of him painted by nipaluna-based artist Maria Blackwell. Mr Denton (self-described “independent commentator”) said of the album, “Possibly the album of this – or any – year”.

Since forming to play a Hobart Little Bands show in 2018, 208L Containers have established themselves as a well-loved act in Hobart’s small but vibrant underground music scene. Lead singer Richie’s biting satirical lyrics combine with Max and Steeeve swapping between rattling guitars and skittering drums, held steady by Dave’s bass. It is a sound that straddles post-punk and pub rock, like a laconic Antipodean take on the eccentric punk side of SST Records. Imagine the much missed humorist John Clarke riffing over a slightly warped instrumental Minutemen cassette.

208L Containers are Richie Cuskelly (vocals), Dave Holmes (bass), Steeeve Rose (guitar/drums/vocals) and Max Foskett (guitar/drums). 

Release: July 22, 2022, Rough Skies Records