live reviews
THEE GOLD BLOOMS, ELECTRIC TOAD, RUM JUNGLE The Bird 25 Apr Thee Gold Bloom’s gig at The Bird boasted a variety of sounds; from the pleasing hard-rock rhythms of Rum Jungle to the theatrical antics of Electric Toad. Although the venue at The Bird was small, limiting the stage size for the performers, that actually added a somewhat cosier atmosphere for punters, adding something unique to the performance. Rum Jungle started off their set providing of some hard-rock
and punters donning sailor’s uniforms from the ANZAC commemorations, you could say Thee Gold Blooms were in their element, with an almost oceanic aesthetic permeating from the venue. But this was not the case; although the performance itself did have its merits, there was something subtly missing. The band kicked off their set with songs such as I Want You So Much and KatieSue, each seemed to recreate a Beach Boys-esque soundtrack. With guitar riffs that added pendulum swings and a bass that added an element of chromatic descent as found with many surf-rock songs from the era, a listener could be drawn into a retrospective observation of a counterculture that used to exist along the coast of California. But that’s
THEE GOLD BLOOMS @ THE BIRD. PIC: ASHLEY WESTWOOD
With the autumn weather beginning to look pretty grim, Leure, the solo electronic project of Ash Hendriks, kicked off with an early afternoon set packing some intensely chilled
TAME IMPALA @ HOTEL ROTTNEST. PIC: ASHLEY WESTWOOD
anthems that eased the crowd into a reposed mood. Once Rum Jungle had finished their set, a large crowd of musicians started to materialise on the stage. At first it was presumed this would be the standard fourpiece rock band with perhaps a few supporters to carry the equipment and help set up. But this was not the case; each and every person on stage was a band member. Electric Toad turned out to be a conglomeration of hard-rock musicians from different bands around Perth. Fronted by the caffeine-fuelled lead singer of garage-rock outfit Doctopus, with the inclusion of rock, a multitude of lead and rhythm guitarists and the almost humorous insertion of AutoTune, a certainly entertaining experience was created.
the problem – when they performed the newly released single. Alana, it evoked too much of the age-old question “Have I heard this song before?” It’s understandable for a band who is very garage/surf-rock-oriented to play surf-infused music, but by continuously harking back to a bygone era, the band becomes a tribute surf-rock band, rather than a band that likes to play surf-rock music.
With the surfboards hanging from the walls of The Bird
The eclectic, neo-psychedelic Tame Impala played a sell-out
26 • THE MUSIC • 30TH APRIL 2014
show on Rotto last Sunday. It was definitely a gig that meant a great deal to Kevin Parker’s Perth-bred five-piece, after no doubt spending much of their youth trudging around the city’s pub/nightclub scene; to play an intimate gig on Rottnest to no more than a few hundred of their most dedicated fans was clearly something special. But it was more than just a hometown gig. For most it was a full ‘weekend experience’ with lasting vibes, good food and, yes, enough revelry to match the expectations of everyone’s holiday island.
Joseph Wilson
TAME IMPALA, KOI CHILD, LEURE Hotel Rottnest 27 Apr
clever wordplay and impressive flows, all backed up by a solid bass line, drum beat, and keys laced with some unforgettable trombone solos (not even joking, they were that good.) At dusk, Tame Impala took to the stage and immediately burst into an unexpectedly energetic version of It’s Not Meant To Be they were clearly going to give it their all and make this gig one to remember. Highlights from a very diverse set included Endors Toi, an extended version of Be Above It and an unexpected but equally brilliant Flaming Lips cover, Are You A Hypnotist? They went on to play a lasting twosong encore to a cheering crowd. Tame Impala brought their own mini-festival experience to Rottnest Island. Between the two equally diverse supporting
CLIENT LIAISON @ AMPLIFIER BAR. PIC: BRON WOODWARD
beats, layered with nifty guitar work and whole bunch of her ominous vocals. It was a great scene, the entire crowd totally relaxed on the ground around the stage - beer flowing, smoke prominent. Leure left a lasting impression, a perfectly chosen opening act to set a unique vibe for the rest of the night. Next on were brand new jazz-fusion hip hop collective Koi Child, who played their second-ever gig to a rapidly growing crowd. Led by barspitting freestyling frontman Shannon Cruz Patterson, their stage presence was immediate. They genuinely felt like a band who’d been kicking around for years, every member of the seven-piece working together in complete harmony. Koi Child even managed to get a completely sedated crowd on their feet and grooving to some
acts, daytime setting and good vibes, they managed to create something truly memorable for their fans who were committed enough to stomach a 35-minute, vomitinducing ferry ride to a damp, windswept rock in the Indian Ocean. We’re proud to say they’re West Australian. Ashley Westwood
CLIENT LIAISON, BASTIAN’S HAPPY FLIGHT Amplif ier Bar 26 Apr Bastian’s Happy Flight began proceedings before an unfortunately small crowd,