Not even the crummy weather managed to stop Perth darlings Tired Lion from selling out their biggest Melbourne show to date. Zoe Fox and the Rocket Clocks hit the stage like a ‘50s sci-fi wet dream – everything about this set was giving off space-cadet realness. Zoe Fox is a surprisingly commanding presence for somebody that plays it so aloof – her dreamy vocals captivating the audience and drawing them in with each track. But it was Fox’s knock-kneed dance skills and top-notch banter that had everybody eating out of the palm of their hands, and by the end of their set they’d definitely won a few new hearts.
Mandurah nuisances Good Doogs came out in fine form, jangling their way through a power set of neo-grunge and stoner-pop that packed out the dancefloor within minutes. Falling somewhere between Nirvana and the Lemonheads, those dastardly Doogs tore up the stage like the rebellious young rascals they dang well are, and the crowd ate up every last minute of it with gleeful abandon. Definitely a band to catch next time they come through town.
As if that wasn’t enough bang for your buck, the final cherry on top, Tired Lion came out all guns blazing, proving without a doubt why they’re currently one of the hottest tickets in town. Tearing through a setlist of pure crowd pleasers, and drawing heavily from their debut album Dumb Days, the band had the entire audience outright gagging with their heady brand of jangly, anthemic grunge-pop. Older cuts like ‘Agoraphobia’ and ‘Not My Friends’ had die-hard fans howling with delight, but it was later cuts like ‘Where Were You?’ and ‘Camp’ that had the whole audience singing along with every word. The band even managed to pull in a set of very earnest crowd-surfers. Finishing up with the album’s lead single, power-pop anthem ‘Cinderella Dracula’, the band gave their final goodbyes and disappeared into the darkness, leaving the crowd to pick themselves back up, pull themselves together and brave that brutal Melbourne cold once more. Worth it.
Highlight: ‘Fresh’.
Lowlight: Leaving the venue and facing the cold again.
Crowd Favourite: ‘Cinderella Dracula’.
