Divine Knights to headline T-Dance

Pop is not pop these days without extravagantly over-the-top costumes.

And emerging electro outfit the Divine Knights are unlikely to disappoint on the aesthetics when they hit the stage this January at the Midsumma Festival’s T-Dance.

Still relatively new on the Australian scene the pair — Sydneysiders Gerard Anthony (lyrics, vocals) and Beef (programming, vocals) — will perform their own brand of Depeche Mode-inspired synth-pop at one of Melbourne’s largest queer dance parties.

It’ll be a big month for the duo who will also celebrate the release of their debut album Midnight on iTunes in mid-January.

“[The gig] will be a sneak peek into the record and what people can expect,” Beef told the Star Observer.

“I think we put on a really exciting show.

“Basically it’s a very high energy show. We go hard from start to finish, we usually walk off stage and collapse.”

Sounds exhausting, but the pair have cut their teeth playing to gay crowds — where a little stage flair never goes astray.

Anthony and Beef have spent the last few years abroad, writing and recording in a flat in Brixton, London. Since returning to home soil, the pair have picked up gigs at gay festivals CoastOut and TasPride.

“We loved playing those events,” Beef said. “We’re both gay so we’re sort of exposed to them, we’re aware of them, they’re on our radar.”

The duo certainly wears its ’80s synth-pop references on its sleeve and has recorded a remix of Bronski Beat anthem Smalltown Boy.

“Jimmy Somerville is a great influence and an all-round amazing artist and we’re really excited to do the track,” Anthony said.

“We’ve kind of given it our own flavour and it’s a highlight for us as far as the show is concerned. Thematically it hits the mark for us.”

The song, first released in 1984, depicts the loneliness of growing up gay in a small town and the need to escape.

“We’ve got another song called Young Boy with a similar theme,” Anthony said.

“For us it’s talking to a younger generation and, in a way, saying we’ve been there too, as far as the hardships you can experience sometime as a young person when dealing with sexuality.”

Anthony said the issue of sexuality does enter the duo’s work, but said their songs also have broader appeal.

“Of course, we write from the heart so that kind of comes into play sometimes.

“Your sexuality is an important part of who you are and of course it enters into our writing, but our music is fairly accessible for anyone.

“We’re thrilled we have audiences from all walks of life. We love playing gay gigs and we love it also when we’ve had young people say they’re inspired by us. That makes us feel great.”

T-Dance is on January 15 at Birrarung Marr. Tickets $35 pre-sale and concession or $50 on the door.

INFO: www.midsumma.org.au