Live Review: Day Of The Dead, The Shakeys & Rag N' Bone

Bringing back a variety night to the Leederville Lounge proved to be a fantastic idea as the audience were treated to a mixed bag of entertainment on a warm Thursday night. Our host for the evening Tomas Ford (still reeling from his appearance on the front cover of our very magazine that day) kept good vibes in the air all night, introducing each band with aplomb and cracking out some killer quips.

Recent Jammin' winners Rag n' Bone were first to grace the stage with a solid, well-rehearsed blend of rock that had the crowd well and truly geared up for the night ahead. Kiera Owen was in top form with her amazing vocal ability, and if Axel Carrington was clearly having the time of his life, jesting with on-lookers and jumping around stage like a kid in the park.

An interlude between bands saw Carnies with Candy's resident 'Snake Dancer', Emerald  Mamba, take to the stage with some mesmerising dance moves, complete with a live serpent. The Shakeys were next up, the all-girl punk outfit creating a performance that would have grown men shaking in their shoes. Claire Hodgson propelled herself off-stage early in the set to further push the band's in-your-face attitude, while the rest of the group kept their expressions hard and fierce, leaving the audience pumped up for the final act.

Finally, Day Of The Dead took up the reins atop the stage in what was their first time playing at the venue. Caleb Merrey's upright bass grabbed the attention of the audience immediately, and from there the group played a solid set which, although was almost entirely void of words, had the crowd enticed from the very second the first note hit. The band kept themselves strong and composed; a collective cheer coming from the crowd when the band began to play Dick Dale's Miserlou. Murrey's friendly banter between songs kept the atmosphere warm and inviting, and if this relaunch night is anything to go by, The Leederville Lounge should see itself with a growing number of patrons for each Thursday that comes hereafter.