A Dedication To Aussie ’00s Banger ‘Where The City Meets The Sea’

Whether you were screaming along to every single lyric from The Black Parade album or gently kissing the poster of Pete Wentz on your wall, there’s no denying that the mid-to-late ’00s was a great time for pop-punk/emo music.

Towards 2007/2008 a new wave of Aussie pop-punk bands were taking over and it was truly a TIME. We’re talking The Getaway Plan, Stealing O’Neal, Mission In Motion, Closure In Moscow, and Elora Danan. And who could forget Short Stack: they walked, so 5SOS could run.

My allegiance in this wave of music however, was with four lads from Melbourne, The Getaway Plan. I’m still a little salty at Short Stack all these years later because they won Channel V’s Artist of the Year over The Getaway Plan the year they released their debut album.

And what a debut album it was. It launched them into the mainstream of Australia, to the point every kid at your school actually knew one of their songs and you had to be like “ACTUALLY, I’ve known them for years because I saw them supporting My Chemical Romance on The Black Parade tour, and this isn’t even their FIRST song, they ACTUALLY have so many other good son-” until you realised no one was listening to you.

I am, of course, talking about how the epic ‘Where The City Meets The Sea’ took over airwaves, music TV stations, and the hearts of many young Australians. They were even invited to play on Rove! What the?!

This was no regular song. This was no regular band. It was THE song of 2008. And when you play it again, in 2021 it’s just as good. That’s no easy feat. I realised this when it came on my Spotify the other day and I sat down and really listened to it properly. Not only did it cure my depression in that moment, it cleared my skin, I slept for 8 hours that night, and the corners of my mouth did this weird uplifting thing when I woke up the next day.

Trust me! If you haven’t listened to it for over a decade, go back RIGHT NOW AND DO IT.

Here’s why Aussie banger ‘Where The City Meets The Sea’ by The Getaway Plan is the perfect mood-booster:

1. It’s now nostalgic AF

The song now easily transports you to what feels like another life. Do I want to go back to 2008? Not really! But when I listen to it to I remember being a young, carefree teen who didn’t have to face many real adult responsibilities or things like a “global pandemic”? Absofuckinglutely.

2. The chorus is an immediate boost and somehow makes you want to either mosh or dance, but you’re not sure with one.

I just generally settle with a weird in-between.

3. If you drink a bottle of wine while listening to it, you’ll suddenly be convinced everything in the world is OK again.

I’ve tried and tested this method through breakups, friendships falling out, bad days at work, and this current lockdown stage of our lives.

4. It’s just fun to blast and throw down with your mates at the following venues: your house, your car, your friend’s house, your parents’ house, your office, or any given emo-themed club night.

If your friends aren’t into it, they’re not real friends.

Don’t just take my word for it: listen to it again right now.