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.
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.
We’re out in the suburbs on this rainy Djeran Friday night and luckily, we are inside and dry with a strong lineup of bands gracing the mammoth Milk Bar stage.
First up, The Off Set and the rotating 4-piece delivered the melody-rich jangles they do so well. The rotation is seamless between the three frontmen — switching instruments and singers while maintaining a great flow of catchy tunes. Zac Yusof’s turn was a particular highlight of the set, and the ear worming single The Places She Only Wished That She Could Go.
Next up Lake Mammoth, playing the lock-in jam-session-style psych rock we love them for. Some of the guitar sounds from the back-and-forth conversation between Jason and Steve are out of this world. Lighter on the usual percussion, the band were tight and suited the larger venue and lightshow. There are so many pockets through the sprawling set, the guys clearly relish jamming, and it comes across on stage
Little Things were a new experience for this reviewer, and once again, thank you Perth/Boorloo for continuing to turn out quality acts. These guys have some serious supergroup credentials, and it shows in the grungy, 90s rock-ish songs. The edge comes from Chris Cruickshank (krʊkʃæŋk) with his violin, playing it about as close to punk rock as the stringed instrument can be. It’s always nice to see a violin up there tearing it up with the rock band.
It was left to Sascha Ion and her Elements to close proceedings, and the diminutive riff demon did what she does best — firing off lick after lick in her understated but powerful way. The band played heavy and tight with an ease that camouflages what is seriously intricate instrumentation. With a range of songs from the folkier Lilliana to the grooving, riff-based The Groove, they just kept coming at you and building that bluesy alt-rock wall.
A seriously good lineup on a Friday night, and it’s good to see these bands out there playing regularly and putting out a steady flow of records. It shows, with a combination of bands, friends, and fans filling the venue. Stay off that dancefloor!
The Kill Devil Hills have a reputation as one of the most experienced and battle-hardened bands to come out of Perth/Boorloo. Seeing them strut their stuff to a sold-out Mojos only added to the legend.
Opening the night were 4-piece Phantom Island. The band play a classic brand of indie rock, with an edge coming from the demon lead guitarist doing a lot more than the average melodic licks you would expect – giving them a slight proggy edge. Combine that with shared singing duties including the Britney-style mic’d up drummer and you’ve got a good formula. The stomping second-last song Adam was a highlight.
Time to up the ante and who better than the triple guitar threat Grub to do it. Matilda up front drives the sound with her tele and ocker wit. Mix it with two more guitars and a ridiculously heavy rhythm section, and the force of sound coming from that stage is nothing short of mind-blowing. With singles like Ghost (stupidly heavy) and the crowd singing along to The Floor, it’s clear why these guys are getting plenty of radio play and hype. Thrashing it out in their hometown of Freo, they were magnificent and clearly having a good time.
With the bands done and dusted, the stage fell into smoke and red light — and into the hands of The Kill Devil Hills. They took to the stage to a packed house and made it their home.
Working from a formidable song catalogue, they went through everything from The Day the Dinosaurs Died to This Is Karrakatta. With a star-studded lineup of musicians including Timothy Nelson on keys / backing vocals, and drummer extraordinaire Todd Pickett banging away, the Kills could do no wrong. The crowd were rowdy and drinking too much, which added to the moody, smoke-filled ghost-town bar feel, with haunting violins drifting out into the haze. The combination of Brendan Humphries leading the vocals, with harmonies and more coming from Pickett and Nelson only amplified the atmosphere.
Was it a coincidence that a black cat crossed the road outside as they played 13th Sunday? I don’t know but the devil works in mysterious ways.
Back to The Bird on a Friday night — a dangerous place to be if you’re trying to drink less. Leah Grant hosted the night and, once again, the venue was full of love from eager punters and bands alike. What a great time to be part of the Perth/Boorloo scene.
Swan Drafts opened the evening with a delicate acoustic set while the audience sat picnic-like on the floor in front of the stage. The guitar work from Shawn Cygnus is special — someone worth keeping an eye on as the music develops. Gatorade Bong is both an inspired name and a very good song.
Goodbye Forever followed and showed that two people can make a hell of a racket. Their guitar, bass, synth and looper setup was engaging, delivering a set that was somehow both casual and intense. Isn’t it great when you go to a gig for one band and another completely captures your attention? Keep an eye out for these guys, highly recommended for something a little different.
Time for the first full band of the night with Jackson Christie taking the stage. The harmony-heavy three-piece play a poppy brand of indie that is hard to pinpoint. Bright, catchy guitar-driven verses that mutate into big choruses, driven by the fine vocal work of the frontman and co.
Symmetrical Dogs took to the stage next and showed us exactly how to do it. Somehow managing punk rock energy with just an acoustic guitar, Michael Woodbridge is one of those musicians you can watch but never quite understand. Maybe the word is sublime — it goes beyond normal comprehension. Combine that with intricate drumming and the charismatic Claire up front, and you have something pretty special. Can’t wait to see what this young group does next.
Main event now. Leah Grant is a treasure to the Perth/Boorloo music scene, and the appreciation in the room made that clear. Backed by a full band and a nicely decorated stage, she showed off the depth and quality of her songwriting.
Grant’s sound is big — post-rock, with folk at its core — built on excellent guitar work and vocals that reach the stratosphere in the biggest moments. It’s a striking contrast to her seemingly quiet demeanour. Is there anything better than someone who transcends when they step on stage?
Her band rose to the occasion, elevating the songs with fine noise-making guitar and big, dynamic moments throughout. The set moved between intimate lyrics (“I give it all up”) and head-shaking heaviness — a combination that sounded fantastic in the room.
Leah Grant has released EPs Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, and after seeing her live for the first time, we’re ready for Vol. 3.
It is becoming tradition now – Friday nights at The Bird – this time with storm threatening and courtyard soaked. How fitting then, that flood should launch their debut album Like Glass on such a night – like it was meant to be. With support from Ursula and lovemenot.
Opening the night with lower-case love – lovemenot gave us post-rock intensity and got the crowd moving. Big sounds and singalong choruses carried through from start to finish. Eleanor Edwards was full of energy up front and commanded the small stage the moment the band powered up.
On a night filled with a high standard of guitar playing, the riff work from Michael Bourguignon, spiced up with noise throughout, was exceptional. Definitely one of the most creative guitarists around. Add a tight rhythm section and Qayla Locke driving the synth and you’ve got a hell of a rock band. Ending the set with their latest single The Tower was a high point.
Ursula was a perfect fit for the middle slot, shoegazing while bashing heavy rock riffage. The Perth/Boorloo supergroup sludged their way through a powerful set as the venue kept filling up.
The switching guitar and vocal work from Robbie Rumble and Ashby Ranson kept it interesting, with riffs, noise and harmonies big and tight. If the aim was to get the place warmed up, they did that and then some. The sound is somewhere between 90s shoegaze and stoner rock but with hints of post in the busy beats and space-y lead lines. Keep putting out music please.
The deluge did not stop all night and so came the flood (maybe too far with the imagery). Mixing intense math rock rhythms with post-rock catchiness, flood have stepped up their set with impressive new album tracks. Borders and Icarus in Amber stood out early, finding that blend of laid-back melody and heavy angular riffs. Sounding heavier than ever with the energy of the occasion, Jack Williamson and Max Lockitt’s guitars danced around each other with fluid ease while the rhythm section mathed out.
Playing mostly tracks from the new record; the venue was as warm as a fireplace projected on the wall behind the stage. Meandermore was a peak moment as it worked up from clean rhythms to a big finish, going around a few times in the process. Jack Duffy’s hard-rock drumming was on full display and locked in with the outstanding bass work from Benjamin Vaughan. The band finished with a couple of older tracks, because of course the crowd wanted more, and Blue was as solid a finish as you could hope for.
It was a well put together launch by flood – the mix of bands worked, all linked via a post-rock thread, while far enough away from each other to avoid post, shoegaze or math overload. The Perth/Boorloo live scene is alive and kicking and getting stronger with gigs like this right in the middle of the city. More live shows, more albums – more everything.
What a lovely setting for a couple of country/blues bands to put on a free show for the locals. Surrounded by old gum trees, on a perfect autumn March evening, Clare Perrott mesmerised and Kangaroos with Machine Guns baffled the family-friendly crowd. Is shit still a swear word? Archer reckons he said poo.
Clare Perrott and her band took to the stage first with her Americana-tinged folk-rock. A Melville local born and bred, showing off some excellent songwriting and a solid band back up. With herself on the nylon string acoustic, the music moved between quieter ballad-like moments to full blown folk/country rock with soaring guitar solos.
A cover of The Faces Ooh La La was a nice touch, and she followed it up with the strong single Philadelphia, before probably the catchiest of her original tunes, Complacent (record it, right now). The song is by far her most radio friendly yet, with the sing a long chorus “I can’t stop from loving, and wasting, and feeling, and changing”. Interesting to see if she keeps this momentum going – if she does, the sky is the limit.
Now Kangaroos with Machine Guns are a different beast entirely. While Perrott’s radio friendly folk-rock reminded the boomers of the Laurel Canyon crew, Kangaroos were much rougher round the edges and borderline inappropriate for the kiddies in the crowd. This, of course, is in no way a criticism of the band, though maybe the smoky Tom Waits-esque bar room blues could be adapted to the Wiggles-age market? Maybe it already has been, just need to say poo or poop.
Age ratings aside, the band played a fine set out in the open under the big gum trees. With cockatoos swooping overhead, they blew out some authentic, creek blues (Aussie swamp. Let’s call it the genre and see if it sticks) with unusual rhythms coming from Todd Pickett, who is an exceptionally creative percussionist.
The enigmatic frontman Archer, alternating between acoustic gitar and interpretive dance, presented as a bush tucker eatin’, by the coolabah tree sittin’ type, and played with confidence and persona, making for an intriguing show. The cover of This Little Light of Mine was a nice touch to show the influences. Archer brings to mind Chung Ling Soo (look it up), whose real trick was keeping up his persona off stage, as well as on, and thus being more convincing. Walk the walk, talk the talk; I was convinced either way.
It was hard not to look up and around during the bush park concert. Clare Perrott and Kangaroos with Machine Guns presented two polar opposite sides of the country, folk, Americana genre. The combination worked, and I suspect it’s because below the surface there is a bit more grit in Perrott’s songwriting, and a marketable appeal to what Kangaroos do. Either way it was perfect aesthetics for the free park concert, and good on ya City of Melville for putting these events on.
Lynott’s Lounge, tucked away behind a busy Irish pub in Northbridge, hosted a mix of young bands on a balmy March Friday night.
Tritus opened the evening with some classic 80s style rock – flying V guitar, a shortage of sleeves, and plenty of screaming solos to satisfy any rock fan. There was more to them than sounding like a hair metal band, with what was actually a nice mix of metal and punk/hardcore. They had a solid set which included a cover of Toto’s Hold the Line – hard to argue with that choice.
Next to the stage came West Envy, with plenty of merch available and an indie-reggae vibe. Think Ocean Alley meets noughties rock. The young band have catchy hooks and some excellent lead guitar work from Riley number two (or Gaz, to avoid confusion with singer, Riley number one. Apologies if I have the rankings backwards). If you want wah, go no further than Rage’s Bulls On Parade. The only cover in the set, and it gives you an idea they aren’t as laid back as the indie-surf-reggae description. A band to keep an eye on for sure.
Closing the night were Lazy Drive and the five-piece brought tight, heavy indie-rock, and most notably a serious keytar. The band have strong modern indie vibes but with some heaviness in the 90s punk rock realm (I heard some Nirvana riffs in that soundcheck). They made a lot of noise, clearly embiggened by the keytar on top of the two guitars and tight rhythm section. Quality riffs and vocal hooks including some great shout-along choruses, by the end it was an epic wall of sound and the crowd relished it. More originals please!
A good night of young bands and the venue has an epic lighting rig to add to the rock show feel. Kudos to the sound guy for playing plenty of Fontaines DC. These are bands to watch.
Friday night at The Bird once again delivered a great night of bands and fans, this time it was Bribes launching their excellent second album Caught in the Corners, with support from Symmetrical Dogs and Parclo.
First up Symmetrical Dogs with a very enthusiastic crowd relishing the banter from frontwoman Claire Stanwix and the band. Stanwix is one of those rare performers who ooze charisma and confidence, seemingly without trying. Pair this with some great guitar work on the acoustic from Michael Wooldridge and Boyd Jarvis’ tight drum work, and you can see immediately why they have established such a solid fanbase. The set was short and sweet and effective in warming up the packed house.
Parclo arrived on stage next, bringing post-rock vibes with a bit of that wonderful genre of shoegaze. Zoe Koong front and centre on bass and vocals was a revelation, showing plenty of power from such a small package. Sharing lead vocal duties while blasting out synth, Izzy French stood in stark contrast to Koong, but it worked well alongside the tight, high-quality playing from the rest of the group. Some moments went to the stratosphere with shoegazing jam-out goodness, and by now the venue was well and truly full, and ready for the headline act.
And so came Bribes, who pulled out all the stops for the launch of their latest record. The atmosphere was warm, the crowd were packed to the rafters (I don’t like to use the term literally but given the side benches and low ceilings in the place, there were literally people up to the rafters), and the band were keen to show off their hard work.
Playing the album through (a nice touch), Head was the obvious choice for opener anyway, and it made for a big start. The crowd were onboard and on for the ride, which was extra special with guests joining in to play the string and wind instrument sections live. If the lovely violin on Pale Blue Bowl was not enough, by Gidge Ridge things had escalated with flute accompanying the strings. Ange’s voice has a fragility to it that came across really nicely with the backing.
The bands experience came through with all members playing tight and clearly enjoying themselves up there. One of the best guitar parts, that riff in Carnage ringing through the venue was a real high point. Danyon, on synth and vocals, had plenty of great moments – Don’t Let It End being one in particular where the catchy synth shines through. We even got a bonus track for the encore, with the band going back to BBB, one of their first tracks released, and a great choice to reward the crowd’s enthusiastic response.
So once again, Friday night at The Bird delivered, and reminded everyone there that the Perth/Boorloo scene is thriving. Let’s hope these bands can continue growing and putting out material of this calibre, and nothing beats the challenge of backing it up live.
