Another Friday night of live music in Perth/Boorloo and options aplenty. We were at the Freo Buffalo Club for the Didion’s Bible PS DB EP launch, and it turned into one of those warm, good-vibe local shows that reminds you why the scene is thriving.
First up, brand new band Botany kicked things off with their first ever gig. It hardly showed, aside from a few mix-ups in the stage banter (the bass player had it covered). With an excellent rhythm section, the three-piece played with confidence and put out a noisy brand of rock. Throwing in a Townes Van Zandt cover for good measure, they powered through a quick set and showed plenty of potential in the racket they are making. Keep an eye out.
New Phono were next up, and despite being a bit cramped on the small corner stage, they put on a fine show full of intricate little guitar and synth parts, and a very catchy catalogue of songs. Pulled mostly from their album Troubleshoot the Rain, songs like Static are just damn fine examples of Perth/Boorloo songwriting. Symmetry Is Dead is a highlight of both the album and the live show. The chorus is super catchy and sing-along worthy. With band members overheating, the set absolutely cooked (outdone myself with the puns here).
And then to the band of the evening. Didion’s Bible jumped on stage with instant energy, and even a busted guitar amp didn’t break their rhythm. Kicking off with the songs from the newly launched EP, the band’s frantic new-wave chaos didn’t let up as the party atmosphere swelled.
Songs like Mona Lisa (Never Let Me Go) got the crowd into the set, and Panorama is a fantastic showcase of what the band can do. With band members at times rolling around on the ground with glee, it’s hard to find a band in the city who exude such infectious joy. It translates well through the music and out into the crowd watching.
The Buffalo Club was a great choice of venue for the EP launch, giving off old-school, small-stage venue vibes that make for fantastic local band gatherings.
Bespoke Touring put together the Planet of Sound gigs regularly at the Milk Bar. They are a chance to showcase a diverse selection of Perth/Boorloo’s most exciting, emerging artists on the big stage. This event was number thirteen and no bad luck here, with old-school rock, hip hop and a bit of jazz for good measure.
First up, apologies for arriving late and missing the set from Dreamline. We saw them playing The Bird a few months back so here is a built-in flashback. The indie dream-pop four-piece have a big guitar-driven sound that lands somewhere between the Smashing Pumpkins and dreamier bands like Mercury Rev. They are tight and have some solid originals including first single Dear Louise, so we’re expecting to hear more from them soon.
This reviewer arrived to see Moondyne taking the stage with an enthusiastic crowd up front. You could see why they were popular already, with a sound sitting in that 60s-influenced rock n roll space — frantic rhythm section complemented by Hendrix-like guitar riffs, and a danceable energy coming from the songs. Singer Taya was oozing charisma, and you could tell she has studied in the school of Janis (great to see these greats are still influencing the next gen). They finished the set with a couple from the era – Whole Lotta Love with plenty of energy, and Hotel California for a laid back, singalong finish. Keep loading the set with originals guys, the current bunch have set the standard high.
Time for some hip hop next, with six-piece Spearwood on stage (assuming they are from Spearwood). The music mixes laid back, jazz rap with a touch of more aggressive, almost Rage Against the Machine-like tunes. Band and MC were confident and tight, and it’s great to see a full live band for this genre. We’re keen to hear what they can put down on record (word is they are in the studio). They got the dancefloor busy and even had some break-dancers busting out moves during the set. The hip hop is strong in the city.
Champion Sound kept us in hip hop territory, the instrumental group leaning more into funk and electro. Some of the tunes wouldn’t be out of place in a Cruisin’ USA or GTA video game. The band are high energy and make the most of the vocal-free performance with interesting licks and time changes. It’s always going to be a challenge keeping things interesting with instrumentals, and there were enough moments throughout the set that made you pay attention. With bands like Grievous Bodily Calm currently dominating the Perth/Boorloo live scene, there is definitely room for more of this.
Closing the night were Cargo, kicking things off with a cover of Stacy’s Mum that immediately got the crowd into it. The band have a solid modern rock sound, sitting somewhere between radio-friendly alt-rock and straight-up pub rock energy. Original track Turn Cold was a highlight, showing the band are strongest when leaning into their own material. Cargo felt like a fitting closer for the evening, bringing things back around to big riffs and singalong choruses after the funk and hip hop flavours earlier in the night.
A nice showcase of young talent in the city and more reason for us to be hopeful Perth/Boorloo will continue to produce high-quality bands.
PS DB EP is the latest from Didion’s Bible, and the six piece friendship-rockers continue producing music that is both out there and grounded in post-punk, new-wave and electro-pop goodness. The songs were recorded alongside their album Yours Truly, DB and just had to see the light of day.
What’s A Name is a quick, catchy ditty that sets the tone nicely. The lyrical tongue-twister uses its pop frontage to address self-perception and identity, with an almost nursery rhyme-like pre-chorus followed by catchy harmonies backing the positive chorus: “no one’s not like you like you.”
This Heat moves further into the classic Perth sound but slows things down. The song starts with droning synths before relaxing into near-spoken word verses, surrounded by Go-Betweens-esque guitars. The chorus turns a corner into lovely front-and-backing melodies, with lines like “I’m begging for mercy” and “hindsight is a twenty / twenty.”
Mona Lisa (Never Let Me Go) is another fun-time tune and wouldn’t be out of place on a B-52s record, with shoutouts of “let’s go” and group chants. They used to call this new wave — now we can just call it fun-rock. Should be a good one live.
Panorama, at 4:36, is the EP’s epic — you can’t spell epic without EP. The drums drive the track along in something that sits somewhere between Talking Heads and Arcade Fire. It builds brilliantly past the halfway point, with the repeated “I am searching for a panorama” becoming the focal point of the rise. Instruments and backing vocals keep joining until the whole thing reaches boiling point — and then we’re there. Nice finish.
The band manage to balance fun and musicianship well on PS DB EP, creating a very listenable record that goes a bit deeper if you listen carefully.
Didion’s Bible are launching PS DB EP this Friday, May 8, at The Buffalo Club in Fremantle. Tickets available here.
Sascha and the band balance understatement with intensity — an interesting juxtaposition that works well with Ion’s vocal stylings and the general vibe of the band. The main chorus hook is catchy and memorable, built around the line “bring me light / bring me thunder / all day long.” There’s a slight scowl in the delivery that gives her voice a real edge. Special mention to bassist Liam Coffey for some excellent lines that wrap around the guitar work.
The trio have found a nice groove pocket, and this is another example of the blues-influenced alt-rock that hits the spot.
Sascha Ion and The Elements launch Cross Your Bones (Bring Me Thunder) this Saturday arvo (May 2) at The Bird. Get down early.
After the Talk, the latest from Flora Road, is Perth/Boorloo post-rock at its finest. If bands keep popping up with tracks like this, there’s nothing to worry about with the music scene in this city.
The band have stepped up production since their last single Is, with big guitar sounds delivering memorable, fuzz-soaked riffs. Cooper Wils moves between heavy wall-of-sound riffs and delicate picking patterns with ease, while Bethany Watt’s bass carries the melody duties.
The point of difference comes from Qayla Locke’s choral vocal work. The blazing heavier bits are broken up by lighter verses, where her vocals shine alongside interesting synth soundscapes. Not to be outdone by the rest of the band, Locke rises with the track as it builds into the second half, launching from the line “so where’s my comfort” into echo-soaked screams.
Add a horn solo to the mix and the tune is well into expansive post-rock territory, combining heaviness with a touch of the Perthsound — yes, we’re making it one word now. Very keen to hear what comes next.
Hailing from Broome/Nyikina, Western Australia, Stellar Moon returns with her first single since 2024’s Phases. The song dives into darker themes while also surfacing into the light, reflected in both the upbeat rhythms and hopeful chorus.
Dark Night opens big and loud, with a Nyikina language call-out — “Koolin Lakarr (sleep – rise), Yoowanban Bilyourr (restless soul)” — before dropping into a very danceable reggae beat. Moon leans into darker themes in the verses before lifting in the chorus with lines like “I made it through / they didn’t beat me down dead”. What really lands is the Nyikina call, repeated throughout — echoing the chorus’ positivity while building into something more powerful and anthemic.
The track is a strong example of what WA’s more remote regions have to offer. Alongside Phases, Stellar Moon is building a catalogue that doesn’t shy away from darkness, but insists on hope cutting through.
It’s the best time of year for indie music in Perth/Boorloo, with RTRFM’s In the Pines. To celebrate, we’re going all out and reviewing every band. It was a marathon day but darn it, it was a hell of a lineup and the bands deserve it.
Tasked with opening the event, Persia brought some luscious R&B. The young band, fronted by Persia herself, played tight and smooth, laid-back tunes reminiscent of 90s and neo-soul. The crowd were steadily descending on the venue as she sang singles released over the last year or so. Butterfly (not the Mariah one), No Hero, and soon to be released Good Thing were highlights, and nice to see original R&B being produced right here in Perth/Boorloo.
Iconyx next, and the Pintupi and Kukatja (Kimberley and NT) 18-year-old is blazing a music trail. The singer, who is also blind, showed off her singing prowess from the first song, sung a cappella with lovely backing harmonies from the band. The setup on stage was simple but effective – samples from the decks, plus live bass and drums. A highlight was her singing the Archie Roach song Mulyawongk, her version approved by the late great himself. Iconyx was clearly enjoying herself up on the big stage, with the set taking on a more hip-hop tone for the second half. Her album, Blak on Trak, provided most of the set material, we highly recommend you check it out.
Time for Symmetrical Dogs to take the stage, and they are one of the city’s most exciting young bands. The band sit somewhere between acoustic folk and punk (think stripped back, early Big Thief) and keep the set interesting with plenty of banter between Claire and the dedicated audience, with some interesting stories coming from Boyd when handed the mic. The other Mike, playing acoustic like no one else, shifts casually between delicate fingerpicking and thrashing along with Boyd’s bashing and Claire’s primal scream. Nowhere is this more evident than in epic set closer Americana.
Cryptids on stage next with their country-tinged Perth/Boorloo sound. The somewhat slacker styling suits a Sunday arvo nicely, and their tunes go a bit further out there with songs like Hunting for Ghosts in Abandoned Buildings. From the flutey, laid back early parts of the set, the band quickly escalated into shoegaze, post-punk, Joy Division-esque territory. A nice mix of that Perth/Boorloo sound and beyond.
Hailing from the Kimberley/Mowanjum region, Kallum Mungulu brought some music from remote WA to the stage. Playing hard rock, full of lyrical depth and including a guest spot from Nick Allbrook on Ngiya Ga Ngiya, the four-piece gave the growing crowd a taste of what’s happening further afield. Kudos to RTR for including these guys.
Clare Perrott is about as country as it gets for someone from Melville. She has a twang to her voice that suits the genre perfectly. With a tight band and great originals, plus throwing in Streets of Your Town for good measure, the band really hit a nice groove. Clare played the banjo for Biting on the Hand and made it clear the band are just as important as its frontwoman, declaring “we’re Clare Perrott and we’re here to bite y’all.” Sounds like fine modern Aussie alt-country.
One of the older bands on the lineup were Showbag! For anyone over 40, their sound slots in perfectly to what you might remember being played at day-festivals like Yak It Up and Mudslinger. For the younger generation — the late 90s are back in fashion, you’ll find plenty to like here. They mixed it up between the just released Waterhouse album and older material. The mini keyboard, loop-driven single Break My Arm was a highlight.
Right in the middle of the day, the program of rock bands was broken up nicely by Tchega. The highly danceable Créole rhythms got the crowd on their feet and moving and set the atmosphere to party. Well done to the RTR event coordinators for timing this perfectly to break up the sound (and this review).
New Phono up next and we are into the second half of the day. These guys are indie at its best, with big, atmospheric synth sounds driving them into post-rock territory. Playing songs mostly from their very good album Troubleshoot the Rain, the band sound like somewhere between 80s post-punk and modern bands like Stereolab.
Well done RTR programmers for adding a bit of variety with Halo of Teeth. The black metal band punished the audience with ridiculously fast drum patterns and guitars to go with. These guys are definitely not easy listening and a good time for the kids to either run away in fear or hang around and learn the ways of the metal lords. These guys will eat any children remaining. Setting aside the horror, the band were tight and relentlessly heavy, despite being down a guitarist they still managed an epic sound.
Kayps next, representing the hip-hop scene, and with just himself and a backing track on stage he grabbed the audience and pulled them in for the ride. With plenty of bouncing from the crowd, encouraged by the rapper, the party vibes went up a notch. He regularly called on people to get involved and have fun, including a call and response ending to make sure the audience didn’t forget what they just saw.
What can we say about Grub? First of all, despite following death metal and hip-hop acts, they held their own as one of the heaviest of the night. The three-guitar band are a perfect mix of catchy, radio-friendly and Sonic Youth-esque thrash. Matilda up front is just oozing personality, and it’s reflected in both her stage presence and songwriting. The band have a quality about them that makes it feel both a little old school Aussie while sounding very much in the now with the wall of guitar noise.
With the sun going down behind the pines, Anna Schneider seemed like a perfect choice to say bye to the light. Her angelic vocals mixed with trip-hoppy sound gave the crowd a dreamy, swaying vibe. Her songs often start off delicate and light, before riffs and beats introduce themselves and the songs build into something bigger. The guitar work was a particular highlight, with Anna producing some dazzling riffs on the acoustic.
Getting towards the home stretch now and veterans of the scene Gunns turn to show us what they’ve got. Another band to boast the triple guitar threat, they blasted the crowd with psych surf sounds, sitting in that 80s/90s post-punk pocket. With new single Peppermint Waves out in the world, the band have a lot to offer the modern Perth/Boorloo scene.
Not to be outdone, RTR pulled another left turn with electro 3-piece Sarco. Playing acid techno, the line was officially drawn and time for the kiddies to get home and let the grownups keep partying. Singer Shinead Ruby, singing/talking live with loops and effects, connected to the audience and gave the band a charismatic stage presence. It makes all the difference to the electro setup having this personality acting as master of ceremonies.
With the giant frog mascot getting warmed up on stage as Sarco had the crowd dancing, New Nausea hit the stage running and got everyone into the indie groove. With catchy, danceable songs aplenty they were perfect for the slot (When ICU, what a track). Their music almost defines the modern Perth/Boorloo indie sound. It’s music that just oozes hanging out with friends and good-time vibes; it almost felt like the good old Big Day Out days and bands like Powderfinger. Even the RTR team were tearing it up, dancing with delight backstage.
It says a lot about both the inclusive nature of RTRFM and the Perth/Boorloo scene in general, when you can have a day of music moving from death metal and acid electro to following up with the grace and excellent songwriting of Emily Barker. Emily gripped the crowd tightly with positive energy nestled in songs like With Small We Start, and the very fitting Wild to be Sharing This Moment. Hear hear.
It was up to Nick Allbrook and his latest band Walrus to close out the east stage. There aren’t many other Perth rock alumni that could be trusted to play such a slot, especially with no recorded music for the brand-new band. Allbrook is a fully fledged performer though and took to the stage like a duck to water. With an outstanding rhythm section to hold things down, the wild frontman pulled out the moves and his lagerstick. The new tunes are the eclectic mix you’d expect from these guys, and I’m sure everyone in the crowd would agree we want to hear more.
Grievous Bodily Calm have become synonymous with the Perth music scene, and if you want to call on someone to get a gig closed out this is the right band for it. The hip-hop / electro fused jazz makes for great late-night crowd fodder (okay it wasn’t that late, but it was a Sunday). The most impressive part of the show is the performers themselves — all are at the top of their game and masters of their instruments. There aren’t many instrumental bands that can do what they do, going beyond just holding the audience’s attention but entertaining them with danceable beats and moments of pure awe.
If there is anything negative to say about the event, it is that the loos were pretty far away. This is not all negative though, as the constant banging of portaloos would have probably killed the vibe closer to the stage. They were nice toilets though. Enough toilet talk. Congratulations RTR for managing to keep this event going for 33 consecutive years. The event is a fantastic showcase of both the local scene, and RTR’s ability to nurture and provide places for the excellent music in this city. Another successful, inclusive, and diverse In the Pines — looking forward to next year already.
We’re at Lyrics Underground going down to the basement to get out of the rain. This Killing Frost hosted a warm night of stripped-back songwriters that suited the low-lit setting. It’s great to see so much variety in Perth/Boorloo — we just can’t stop discovering new music.
Opening the evening was Chris Mason, with help from fellow Lunettes alumni Kerry Fletcher. While Fletcher held the rhythm on her acoustic, Mason was free to play a bit looser with his hollow body guitar, and the combination worked well. The songwriting carries a heaviness you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a semi-acoustic duo; the songs would work well with a full indie-rock band. The hooks were unusual, but wrap themselves around you and lock in.
Elk Bell up next, and she was not afraid to open up and lay herself bare through the music, singing personal songs about loves lost and other battles. The fact she’s not afraid to tell you all the gritty details makes it all the more poignant.
The singer/songwriter was able to entertain with the music and add plenty of interesting insights in between. She has a couple of strong album releases under her belt, with another on the way. After seeing her play the latest songs live, we’re keen to hear the next chapter.
Onto the hosts, and the basement setting was perfect for This Killing Frost. Dressed all in black, with Julian Bolleter on piano and Andrew Ewing singing, the pair were engrossing to watch. There are shades of Nick Cave or the likes of Antony, but the sound goes further than any direct comparisons. The piano melodies get very cinematic, and the lyrics follow suit, moving between love songs about secret crushes and grander themes (if love isn’t the grandest).
Conquer and Divide is a perfect example — the piano sounding almost exorcist-like before Ewing croons about a relationship fading. From a literal beginning (“I think maybe it’s over, we’ve done our 10 years”), the lyrics ascend to gods and iconography like the tower of Babel (communication, that usually gets relationships). The music is intelligent but isn’t afraid to twist and play with its themes.
Special mention to the between-set music, which kept the mood right throughout. A strong showcase of songwriting talent, and one that more than delivered.
Interflow are making serious noise in the Perth scene with some proper rock n roll, and they continue releasing strong music, this time with Dirty Money.
The tune is bangin’ from the start and leans heavily into post-Zeppelin ’70s rock styling. Hats off to drummer Charlie Pascoe for some ridiculously tight beats, including a couple of perfectly placed fills to punctuate key moments. This kind of music demands big, tight, simple beats — and he delivers.
Also shouting out a live version of Old Ways, included as a B-side to the single (people still do these, hallelujah). The acoustic track is no less powerful, with guitar and vocals just as intense as any of the full band cuts.
Keep it up fellas — the Perth/Boorloo scene is strong, and always needs the classic rock representatives flying the flag and shredding stages.
Jesus Is Knocking is the debut single from Freak Mod 5, and it lives up to the band name, drawing on classic film and TV music. They wouldn’t be out of place in a pilot about a group of women spies — or a Tarantino movie, given the hip hop groove.
Musically, the single is a shift from the standard band format, and the trio clearly relish the opportunity to work with synth and samples. Organ-like keys lead the way and hold the hook, while subtle rhythm guitar and lead licks give it a psych rock feel. A hint of electro, harkening back to bands like The Avalanches, rounds things out and gives it a unique edge.
The track settles into a laid-back, jam-session feel — groovy and bop-able. Considering the band members are located on both coasts of Australia, it’s dangerously cohesive — a strong start from Freak Mod 5.
