WAM Saturday Spectacular Reviewed

11 November 2013 | 2:02 pm | Staff Writer

Perth comes alive

Our reviewers were out in force for the 2013 WAM Saturday Spectacular – a showcase of Western Australian artists from across the spectrum.

A beautiful day greeted music fans in Perth's Northbridge and there was a tangible vibe around the city, with not only music fans but passers-by lapping up the smorgasbord of free shows. Here's what we thought.

RABBIT ISLAND

Rabbit Island (aka Amber Fresh) delivered a set of sultry, slow tunes to a building crowd. The slot was probably best for Fresh: her almost whispered tones suited the arvo scene well.

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FLIGHFLOW

Kicked off their first gig with aplomb. Resting somewhere between a synth-fuelled hip hop outfit and a Snakes On A Plane tribute band, they managed to pull out the funk for their virgin performance. Coin Banks laid down a smooth DJ set before Wisdom 2th took things wacky with his smooth beats and perfect timing.

SLUDGE BUCKET

Had the whole metal thing down: dropped tuning, angry growls and speed metal licks, with a clear Metallica influence.

LEECHES

Quickly becoming one of Perth's favourite heave acts, and showed why with a ridiculously ballsy and entertaining set.

Scalphunter pic by Dan Cribb

SCALPHUNTER

Big Splash winners Scalphunter followed, keeping the aggression going with their raw power barely hidden behind those denim jackets.

NAIK

Delivered sweaty beats and grooves, his best response being the few kids who danced along up front, but with most at the back nodding along.

KIT POP VS ZEKE

Amped up the evening with some sweet sounds channelled through their respective skills.

Cam Findlay

GILDED

Jazz-influenced industrial group Gilded put on an impressive show of glitch, electronic sounds mixed with short bursts of horns and improvised melodies.

SMRTS

Indie surf rockers SmRts started off playing older pop songs such as Balga and Washing Hands before moving into heavier territory like I'm Sick with Love (So Far Away) and Human Landscape, managing to get the crowd to both dance and head bang in the same set.

USURPER OF MODERN MEDICINE

Electronic post-rock act Usurper of Modern Medicine kicked out the space jams with new drummer Matt Bairstow keeping the beat steady while vocalist and bassist Steven Hughes got the crowd fired up with his great banter and solid rock bass lines.

BOYS BOYS BOYS!

Boys Boys Boys! drew everyone to the dance floor with fan favourites Super-Fine and Casio Joy. Their single Holiday got a live workout and was bolstered by some brilliant harmonies from the three lead singers.

GRRL PARL

The synthpop trio held the remaining crowd together with an almost flawless set of which was capped off by an amazing performance of Amazon, finishing off a great show and a great night for West Australian music.

Scott Aitken

THE COALMINERS SECT

Five piece rock band The Coalminers Sect entertained a small but appreciative crowd. The band's sound is a blend between The Who, Dinosaur Jnr and The Saints, mixing the elements of rock, post rock and hints of pop to create an energising and youthful sound.

DUX N DOWNTOWN

Next on stage were three-piece punk band Dux n Downtown and they were one of the stand-out performances for the day. They are equipped with only one guitarist, a drummer and a singer Dave Benck, who is also armed with a harmonica. Their style of music is a dirty sounding punk infused blues meets whiskey stained rock and roll, they wowed the growing crowd and should be one to watch in the near future.

VALDAWAY

Indie rockers Valdaway offered an energetic set to the growing crowd. Vocalist Kohen Grogan's stage presence was undeniable and his vocal performance wasn't far off.

VIDA CAIN

Vida Cain attracted an impressive crowd, with Ya Ya's filling up for the rock band, for what would be their last show after a massive 2013. They focused on songs from their newly released debut album The Rule Of Gravity with many punters singing along to every word.

DIANAS

Dianas were entertaining those brave enough to endure the scorching heat. But the indie pop three-piece was unabashed in their approach and delivered a crafty, soulful and emotional set.

Eli Gould

SHIMMERGLOOM

Began proceedings at Flyrite with an impressive display of raw indie-rock, keeping the early punters on their toes.

MINUTE 36

Kicked it back slightly, supplying the growing crowd with an interesting blend of songs that felt like they could rage at any given point, however, the band's ultimate goal was to continue the tension throughout the set rather than reach an obvious climax. It was a welcoming contrast to the previous band's sound.

THE DISAPPOINTED

The catchiest tunes of the day to that point, wooing the audience with an extra element to their arsenal not yet seen via the previous bands – the keys. The band were tight and produced some excellent rock tunes, shining particularly with a song from their latest EP; Mirtazipine.

SARAH PELLICANO

Showcased her vocal strengths remarkably with a solo acoustic set, however, unfortunately for her, the level of sound through her microphone was overbearing and marred her performance ever so slightly.

Boom! Bap! Pow! Pic by Dan Cribb

BOOM! BAP! POW!

A highlight for the day – fronted by the captivatingly quirky Novac Bull, the band spun off their wonderfully catchy brand of '50s rock n' roll with precision, showcasing their experience and working the crowd into a grooving frenzy.

BROW HORN ORCHESTRA

Ended the night at Flyrite by following their predecessors in keeping the brass instruments on display. The added rap element by Ndorse and Krazi Karri did, as usual, work the audience towards the rowdiest display we had seen all night.

Kane Sutton

DAVID CRAFT

Gave a tender performance with his newly unveiled project, bringing new light to his solo writing. A solid rhythm section and an exceptionally well-driven guitar effects board made for an intuitively well-founded backing for Craft's low, enlightening baritone.

THE JUSTIN WALSHE FOLK MACHINE

Brought the performances up to the next rung, with volume, comedy and folklore. Walshe's ability to tell a story, paying careful mind not just to the content but also the delivery, is superb and his band (despite apparently falling short of their full line-up) put on a strong show.

ENSEMBLE FORMIDABLE

If ever there were a Fairbridge fan favourite, gypsy jazz reggae powerhouse Ensemble Formidable would be a heavy contender, and not just for their supergroup status. Seeing patrons of the Uni Bar get up and dance for the first time of the day, the Ensembles set was groovy, jazzy and a little nostalgic too; punters could be seen trying to figure out where they had heard that song before as the band played their own arrangement of the theme song from 90's TV show, Ship To Shore. The festivities only got more outrageous from there.

THE WEAPON IS SOUND

Dub reggae six-piece couldn't even fit on the Universal Bar's stage, one of the smallest in Perth, and several members resorted to jumping down and getting amongst it.

GRACE BARBÉ

Had so much effortless class and attitude about her she made it look easy; a great end to a stellar line-up.

Lukas Murphy

MT MOUNTAIN

Were first to the tee with their burly rock tunes, these five lads sauntered around the stage with confidence. A solid bass line, harmonica, deep tom driven drums and brawny guitar chords all attribute to the tight luminosity of this hopeful group.

FLOWER DRUMS

Lead vocalist Leigh Craft of the Flower Drums was simply irritating. He may be a pocket rocket on stage but can he learn to hold his tongue? The presence of a tom drum beside him was more generic indie pop than originality for a band that still has a way to go.

SIMONE & GARFUNKLE

It was the ladies that showed true grace and form with their beautiful light variation of charming harmonies. Bridget Turner's yellow spot dress swished enchantingly below her acoustic as she kicked her legs in time with Secret.

DIANAS

Pristine three piece the Dianas were a surprising delight. Listening to Origami and Nice Boy was like sailing into a dream of lo-fi fairy floss, sweet and airy.

Adrienne Downes