I hate Models – Friday, January 2, 2026 – The Works – Sydney

by the partae
Photography: Josh Ma
Review: Hudson Reed
Walking into the I Hate Models show in Sydney on January 2, 2026 felt less like entering a club and more like stepping into a pressure chamber. From the first kick drum, the room was locked in. No warm-up, no easing in, just raw, relentless momentum. The crowd knew exactly what they were there for, and within minutes the dancefloor turned into a single heaving body, moving on instinct rather than rhythm.

What stood out most was the emotional range in the set. It wasn’t just hard techno for the sake of intensity; there were moments that felt almost cinematic, where distorted melodies cut through the noise and gave everyone a split second to breathe before being thrown straight back into chaos. Those transitions hit hard. You could see it on people’s faces. Eyes closed, jaws clenched, hands in the air like they were bracing for impact.

The sound system was pushed to its limits, but in the best way possible. Every low end punch landed square in the chest, while the highs sliced cleanly without ever feeling muddy. The lighting stayed dark and aggressive, perfectly matching the mood: minimal, strobing, unforgiving.

By the final stretch, sweat was dripping from the ceiling and nobody wanted it to end. Walking out into the Sydney night felt surreal, like waking up from something intense and slightly unhinged. It wasn’t just a set, it was a full-body experience. One that’ll stick with me for a long time.

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