Live Review: Doctopus, The Pissedcolas, Methyl Ethel - The Bird

Not even the threat of rain on a Sunday night could deter punters from heading down to The Bird to enjoy one of Perth’s rowdiest groups in Doctopus for the last leg of their ‘Tour de Perth’ stint in support of their second full-length record.

Methyl Ethel kicked off proceedings, initially settling the crowd into the evening with some super-smooth and twangy guitar work, accompanied by steady drum beats and atmospheric use of effects. The X factor in their performance and sound, however, was Jake Webb’s voice – his tones were weighted with emotion and looking around at the audience, each individual seemed to be caught up in their own sense of enjoyment, looking undeterred by what was going on around them. Methyl Ethel were captivating, and were the perfect way to begin the evening.

Next up were The Pissedcolas, who lived up to their name and upped the ante with their rough and raw blend of grunge-rock. Despite their appropriately laid-back manner, the trio got their momentum going quickly and as their pace built, so did the audience response. The band seemed to be quite earnest in their lyrical approach, and as a relatively new group, it’ll be exciting to witness the direction they propel themselves in over the latter half of the year.

As Doctopus worked through each track, they continued to frenzy themselves.

It’s always great to see such a good number of people turn out to a local band’s album launch, and by the time Doctopus took to the stage, the venue was heaving. The trio began their set in typical fashion, with frantic guitar playing, throbbing bass lines, pounding drums and that instantly recognisable drawl from vocalist Stephen Bellair that we’ve all come to know and love so much.

The crowd were positively lapping up what was being produced, and as Doctopus worked through each track, they continued to frenzy themselves. Such was the rowdy vibe that about halfway through the set, Bellair launched himself from the stage and into the crowd for what was the first proper crowd-surfing spectacle this reviewer has seen at the venue. Chronic Fatigue had the entire room throwing themselves around, while album title-track and final song for the night, Wobbegong, was practically sung back to the group, as it has quickly become a fan favourite and was certainly the best way to wrap things up. The trio should no doubt be feeling incredibly proud of their efforts, and hopefully this means they will continue making new music together, as it’s obvious there are plenty who love what they do.