Break open the disco-lasers and crank up the volume: Little Boots, the pop star we’ve been waiting for, is here at last.

Growing up in Blackpool, faded seaside jewel of the English northwest, Victoria Hesketh may not have been plugged into the metropolitan cultural cool of London. But she was always plugged into music. She played piano from the age of five, learning early on the thrill of deconstructing, picking apart, opening up songs. It was a skill that would stand her in good stead during her three years on a Cultural Studies course at Leeds University. And during her student-era job as a hotel lounge pianist. Loving music meant loving performing. Growing up, Hesketh took any gig that came her way.

But Hesketh, her enthusiasm for pop and performance matched by her enthusiasm for visual creativity and experimentation, did want to be an artist – on her own terms. She wanted a cascade of synths, sequins and glitterball anthems. She wanted music technology that Japanese electronic firms hadn’t invented yet. Fully embracing the synthesisers she always loved experimenting, Hesketh began writing the songs that would become Hands. Another early champion was Joe Goddard of Hot Chip, who Hesketh met through mutual friends. They passed him a demo of Stuck On Repeat. He saw something in Stuck On Repeat – he was the first person to see what I saw in it.’

Once passed through Goddard’s home studio, Stuck On Repeat became a throbbing, glacial epic. Once posted on Little Boots’ myspace, it became word-of-mouth hit. Goddard went on to produce the bleep-groove of Mathematics and the urgent pop-techno pound of Meddle, other tracks that contributed to Little Boots’ blogosphere legend in 2008.

Time: Doors open 10.30pm
Cover Charge: $28 (includes 1 drink)

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