After having spent more than a decade making a name for themselves as one of the country’s hardest-working exports, Sydney locals Lime Cordiale know how to work a crowd, to ensure everyone is having a good time, and to never forget their roots.
It’s this sort of commitment to their craft, and dedication towards playing to their hometown crowds which will see them make a big return next month, when they play a special DJ set at The Island in Sydney on February 12th as part of Jim Beam Welcome Sessions.
But before they got to this monumental stage of their career, Lime Cordiale first kicked off as a humble duo sharing slick alt-pop and indie-rock tunes. The group – comprising of brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach – started out on Sydney’s Northern Beaches in 2009 as hungry young musicians, refusing to ever turn down a show should the offer present itself.
“For eight to ten years we just played as much as we could,” recalls Oli Leimbach of their early days. “We came out of the Northern Beaches of Sydney and then we eventually moved into the city, and we would just take anything that came up, whether it’s a pub or a wedding.
“We’d play in front of no one, and we would just take it,” he recalls of the band’s earliest days gigging. “We had a kind of rule that we never said no to a gig. We’d just take whatever came.”
It was this sort of tenacity and drive as musicians from Sydney’s Northern Beaches that would allow them to become the successful global exports superstars they’ve turned into. As the group recalled, they would win a local band contest in 2009 which had been judged by Icehouse frontman Iva Davies.
Armed with the approval of famed Aussie musicians, and eager to prove their worth on the local scene, the Leimbachs swiftly recorded a number of EPs, which soon led to the release of their debut record, Permanent Vacation, in 2017. However it was 2020’s 14 Steps To A Better You that would see them become globally-recognised artists, and fittingly, it was an album borne from in-home studio sessions and writing spells at their parents’ house – a product of the very environment that raised them.
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Of course, as Lime Cordiale themselves grew, so too has their profile. As such, their acclaimed live show has become more and more in-demand, with other states and countries now demanding their attention.
Sure, they still manage to perform headline dates at home when they can, and their touring festival, The Squeeze, allows them a little more freedom than other bands may have, but to return home to perform before a hometown crowd is something that still resonates deeply with the pair. As such, it’s this sort of special homecoming they’ll experience when they return for a DJ set this February. Performing in the middle of Sydney Harbour at The Island on February 12th, the group will appear against a gorgeously iconic backdrop as part of Jim Beam Welcome Sessions.
“I hadn’t really thought about how it’s a Sydney-centric celebration of music and vibes,” Oli admits. “We don’t really get to play that many Sydney shows anymore. Now that our audience has grown, it’s like we kind of do one big Sydney show a year, unless it’s a festival or something.
“It’s pretty special, and a DJ set is a good one to take all your friends to, so you can have a lot of fun. It’s special playing at home, for sure”
The special hometown DJ performance will take place in Sydney on February 12th at The Island, in Sydney. In recent years, the pair have expanded their focus more towards these DJ sets, with their killer live shows being occasionally complemented by the Leimbachs behind the decks.
This rare DJ appearance has allowed the pair to grow their artistry constantly, with classic club bangers, Lime Cordiale originals, and even a mixture of the two (thanks in part to a recent remix of ‘Holiday’ from Fatboy Slim) soundtracking the event.
For your chance to win a double pass to see Lime Cordiale’s appearance at Jim Beam Welcome Sessions in Sydney, click here.
Keep an eye out for how to win a double pass for you and a mate to these unmissable events in your home state. But music-lovers around the country can rest assured knowing they’ll be well catered to, with the series also visiting Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast and Melbourne in the coming months.
For further information about Jim Beam Welcome Sessions, head along to their official website, or stay tuned to Rolling Stone for more updates.
Jim Beam Welcome Sessions 2023
Lime Cordiale (DJ Set)
Sunday, February 12th
The Island, Sydney, NSW
Enter here for your chance to win tickets.
