No one really doubted that Smith Street Band could host one hell of a party, but for the launch of their new label Pool House Records, this was better organised than most mainstream festivals. There were enough toilets and bar staff available so you rarely had to line up, and it was hard to tell who was more excited to be there, the bands or the fans.
The first big crowd gathered on the Corner Stage for up-and-coming rapper, Baker Boy. He whipped them into a frenzy with quick-fire lyrics, live percussion backing and even a couple of b-boy back up dancers. The masses bounced along to a couple of brand new tracks as well as singles ‘Cloud 9’ and ‘Marryuna’, and even a remix of Yothu Yindi’s ‘Treaty’.
For those who made the effort to run back to the main stage in time, you could catch the last few songs from four-piece punk rockers, Ceres. Lead singer Tom Lanyon delivered one hell of a show, sometimes getting so excited that he’d drop his beer mid-lyric. The crowd erupted when The Smith Street Band’s Will Wagner joined on stage for ‘Stretch Ur Skin’.
Up next was the ever-impressive Ecca Vandal. The wind made it hard to hear her usually-perfect vocals but that didn’t stop the excited crowds from moshing as though their lives depended on it. Backed by a full band, Vandal showcased her diverse range of styles, flipping seamlessly between punk, rock and pop; driving it home with crowd favourite ‘Future Heroine’, which she dedicated to all her female fans.
As a band who cites their inspirations as “Parties, Pingaz, Ska music” on their triple j Unearthed page, The Bennies lived up to their reputation as one of the best live bands in the country. The crowd-loving quartet delivered an epic set of their biggest and best, including ‘Party Machine’, ‘Knights Forever’ and ‘Dreamkillers’.
The biggest clash of the day came between Perth’s Tired Lion on the main stage, a relatively new supergroup from Gareth Liddiard and Fiona Kitschin (The Drones), Lauren Hammel (High Tension) and Erica Dunn (Harmony/Palm Spring), called Tropical Fuck Storm.
Thankfully the walk between stages wasn’t too far, so people could catch a bit of both. Tired Lion’s Sophie Hopes absolutely wailed, with the crowd chanting along word for word on ‘I Don’t Think You Like Me’ and ‘Cinderella Dracula’. Back on the Corner Stage, TFS gave a rock-solid performance with twin guitars and beautifully-weird harmonies; offering their new single ‘Chameleon Paint’ and even a couple of Drones’ classics in ‘Tasman Shud’ and ‘Baby Squared’.
Last but certainly not least, the act of the night, The Smith Street Band held absolutely nothing back. They gave a lengthy set of mostly tracks from their newest album, More Scared of You Than You Are of Me, including ‘Death To The Lads’, ‘Birthdays’ and ‘Passiona’. Wagner gave an amazing solo performance with ‘I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore’, before the band re-joined for classics like ‘Surrender’ and ‘I Can’t Feel My Face’, before finishing on a high with Shine’. By the time the dust had literally settled, the crowd left satisfyingly exhausted.
Highlight: The Bennies playing up to the crowd.
Lowlight: The wind messing up the sound.
Crowd Favourite: The Smith Street Band’s ‘Shine’.
