PiaNu-Metal

Revisit rock’s most dismissed genre, with a classically-trained pianist

Revisit rock’s most dismissed genre. The white boy dreadlocks, the rampant sexism, the suburban angst, the chain wallets. Reminisce about the highs and lows of the late 90s and early 2000s than through the lens of a classically-trained pianist, vocalist, music history buff, and boylesque dancer.

With artful arrangements that showcase the melodies beneath the distortion, Piano Punk plays some of your most favourite (and perhaps least favourite) Nu-metal songs and takes you back to simpler times when the economy was downturned, the USA was bombing people in the middle east, and baggy pants were popular. So pretty similar to now, in some ways.

What can we learn from this fever dream of a genre that celebrated hyper-masculinity? Did we really do it all for the nookie?

Access information for blind and low vision audiences

Pianu-Metal is not presented as a traditional audio-described performance, however accessibility has been intentionally considered throughout the work. Approximately 50% of the show’s content is visual, while dialogue, music and sound make up more than 75% of the performance experience. The dialogue, staging and sound design have been crafted with multisensory description and auditory cues in mind, supporting audiences who are blind or have low vision to follow narrative, action and atmosphere. These access elements may also be beneficial for Autistic and neurodivergent audiences. For additional, practical pre-show information to support audience access to the work, please follow this link: Access Guide for Blind and Low Vision Audiences.

NOTE: The Friday 30 January show is mask-mandated to create a lower-risk space for folks who are immunocompromised. We will be giving masks out when you arrive, or you can bring your own from home if you prefer. We ask that you wear a mask if possible. If you are uncomfortable wearing a mask and don't have a medical exemption, we'd encourage you to attend on another evening.

About Kip McLachlin

Piano Punk is a genderfucking genre-fuck performer and musician. Born on Treaty 21 territory (the traditional lands of the Attawandaron, Anishinabeg, Haudenosaunee, Lunaapeewak people in what's now called Canada), they relocated to the land of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung as an adult. They are a classically trained musician, composer, recording artist, sound engineer / producer, and an occasional drag king / boylesque dancer under the name Nolan Void. They are a producer of local drag and variety shows such as "The 2025 Australian Election as Told By Drag Kings" and a co-producer of "T4T: A Transgender Showcase".

As a musician they specialise in hardcore, metal, grunge, and punk arrangements on piano. Piano Punk is performing their one-person show PiaNu-Metal at The Meat Market on 29-31 January: a show about the genre of Nu-Metal and the gender politics of masculinity in the late 90s and early 2000s.