Live Review: Bastian's Happy Flight, Leon & Cam, Capelas, Ad & Passive

With a stressful, yet exciting weekend on the cards for footy followers in WA, ending the working week with a night drenched in wild '80s disco tunes seemed like the best thing to do. We were all certainly in agreement afterwards that we'd made the right decision. AD & Passive kicked things off early with a groovy DJ set that worked wonders in warming up the venue, before Capelas hopped in and continue this manner of performance throughout the evening, jumping up between band sets to keep the punters on their toes. Leon Osborn & Cambourghini teamed up on stage around 10pm, and armed with a laptop and guitar, wooed the drifting patrons into forming a crowd in front of the stage for the first time that evening. It was refreshing for a semi-band to take control of the stage and the beats were extremely enjoyable. Having never seen the two play as a duo before, I'll definitely be keeping an eye on their playing schedule.

It was a significant occasion for Bastian's Happy Flight, who were launching their second EP. The band rose to the occasion from the outset by immediately taking command of the stage and audience with EP opener Come For The Early (Stay For The Late), which zooms right past the guilty-pleasure field and lands solidly in golden pop territory. The crowd's response was instant, working themselves into a collective groove that would only grow larger as the night went on. From there, the band covered material that spread across their three year-long catalogue, which kept both the new and old fans happy – although, from the new EP, RELATIONSHIPDENIAL was a crowd favourite and widely recognised. The falsetto grooves combined with galactic synth-work worked wonders with the audience's participation in dance. The band slowed things down with Hooray, and despite the somewhat gloomy undertones of the tune, it is so reminiscent of something out of Top Gun that anyone who had just walked through the door would have a tough time not getting involved in the action, which is still what the band is all about. You Keep Dancin', an oldie but a goodie, was another stand-out track and easily one of the best dance grooves of the lot, and really showcased the band's mastery of their crazily infectious '80s synth-pop sound, with Will Slade's voice taking on a Rick Astley-esque tune. Their final song for the evening – now probably the staying track for the end of the setlist – was My Love's (Not Good Enough), which had the crowd at their most active point for the evening, with many singing along and enjoying the last few minutes of what was ultimately a fantastic set that lived up to the expectations of a highly anticipated launch.