You’d better strike while the Iron’s hot

NEW York punks Iron Chic are ready to lay the smack down on Hobart for the first time tomorrow night.

Thanks to their DIY ethos, heartfelt lyrics and catchy, sing-along choruses, Iron Chic — Jason Lubrano (vocals), Phil Douglas (guitar), Jesse Litwa (guitar), Mike Bruno (bass) and Gordon Lafler (drums) — have gained a cult following around the world since first getting together on Long Island in 2008.

Last October Iron Chic released their darker third album, You Can’t Stay Here, which was written after the sudden death in January 2016 of founding guitarist Robert McAllister.

You Can’t Stay Here — which features the lead single My Best Friend (Is A Nihilist) — explores the same big questions that have always plagued Iron Chic: anxiety, depression, relationships, substance abuse, mortality, death, and the meaning of life.

The album was praised by fans and critics alike, with Hysteria Magazine describing You Can’t Stay Here as “proof Iron Chic spent years honing their expertise in writing catchy, soul-bearing punk tunes that defy the realms of monotony and have, quite clearly, perfected it”.

Stalwarts of the European and US punk circuits, Iron Chic were last in Australia in 2015 to play the Poison City Weekender festival, two shows with The Smith Street Band, and a string of their own headline gigs.

Now they’re back in the country, returning to every city they played in 2015 and adding some new destinations — including Hobart — to their tour schedule for the first time.

Iron Chic play at the Brisbane Hotel from 9pm tomorrow, with local supports Squid Fishing and Carpool Kids. Tickets are $34.70, go to www.oztix.com.au for bookings.