As part of its commitment to Midsumma Festival, Vision Australia Radio and JOY 94.9 recently welcomed a guest to its collaborative live broadcast from Carnival Day, whose artistry fuses nostalgia, rebellion, humour and deep musical intelligence. Kip Mac, known as “Piano Punk”, joined hosts Tess and Little Jase to discuss their new show PiaNu-Metal. It’s a bold reinterpretation of late‑90s and early‑2000s nu‑metal through the unlikely but captivating lens of classical piano.
Asked what drew them back to those sounds, Kip was disarmingly honest. It wasn’t nostalgia for Y2K aesthetics, nor an academic interest in the political parallels between eras, it was simply love. “I’m just a huge fan of all things nu‑metal,” they said with a laugh.
This sincere affection becomes the foundation of their reimagining. As a classically trained pianist, Kip thrives on the challenge of rearrangement. Nu‑metal’s syncopation, aggression and melodic drive lend themselves to unexpected reinvention. Without screaming vocals or heavy distortion, the songs’ underlying emotional core becomes unmistakably clear. Whether audiences once loved or loathed nu‑metal, hearing it stripped back reveals new layers. “It makes the lyrics clearer,” Kip explained. “And people enjoy hearing it differently.”
When co‑host Jase admitted they had been listening to nu‑metal for years without realising it, it opened space for nostalgia, humour and System of a Down singalongs. The conversation became more reflective, however, when Kip, Tess and Little Jase discussed their experiences with autism and Nu-Metal. The overwhelming sensory elements of the genre contrasted with their listening experiences. Tess described how complex music can become a cacophony, but Kip shared the opposite. They found a fascination with dissonance, density, and difficult sound.
From there, the interview dug into nu‑metal’s cultural roots, especially its intense masculinity. Kip acknowledged that the genre often excluded women and gender‑diverse performers, and revisiting it now shines a light on both past and present misogyny. But reclaiming it has become part of Kip’s artistic joy. As a drag king and boylesque performer under the name Nolan Void, playing with gender is central to their work. Singing “aggro, masculine” songs with their own “quite feminine” voice becomes an act of delightful subversion.
Kip’s commitment to accessibility was another standout. Their new production incorporates audio description, enhanced visual clarity, and, in at least one performance, mandatory masking to protect immunocompromised audience members. They emphasised that queer art too often happens in inaccessible venues down stairs or in cramped basements. For this Midsumma season, they wanted “not to leave anybody behind.”
In the end, Pianu Metal promises not just music but memory, laughter, critique, catharsis and joy. Kip hopes audiences “walk or roll away” feeling both entertained and thoughtful, having rediscovered nu‑metal on new terms.
Tickets are available through the Midsumma website: Midsumma Festival - PiaNu-Metal
Midsumma Festival runs until February 8. Vision Australia Radio is a proud access and inclusion partner to the annual festival.
Hear, or read, the interview here:
