Live Review: Dianas, Sex Panther, Hamjam, Hussy

Twenty-fifteen has been a very big year for Dianas. It's seen them play on both coasts, drop a single and open for Alpine as well as taking out the triple j Unearthed comp, which landed them a spot on the St Jerome's Laneway Festival. So it was only to be expected we'd soon get to hear a long player from this dynamic duo. Caitlin Moloney and Nathalie Pavlovic (and now John Lekias from Doctopus) put together a show that included some of Perth's best bands to launch their self-titled LP.

Bike gang-cum-rock band Hussy were first up. Five women, five instruments and, it would appear, five different tastes in music led to a show which wove together pub rock, indie rock, grunge and ballads in equal measure. All the other acts on the bill definitely had a "sound", whereas Hussy seemed to just enjoy playing balls-out songs. It'll be interesting to see if they work towards a more refined sound, but either way, they're definitely an act to check out.

Hamjam were the only "boy band" on the night, playing in a stripped-down two-piece configuration. A simple guitar and laptop/keyboard combination resulted in an almost synth-pop style set. A cover of Wicked Game by Chris Isaak that sounded like a Depeche Mode arrangement was probably the highlight of the set. (Though Hamish Rahn really can't hold a match to either Isaak or Dave Gahan.)

Long-running power-punk act Sex Panther seem to be keeping busy since reforming earlier this year. Though only a few months back in the game, you can see why they were such a force on the Perth scene in the mid-noughties. Frontwoman Storm took to the stage with a perpetual pout and a mane of hair that seemed to be permanently stuck to the front of her face. From the start, their set was hard going, jumping from song to song with little time for the audience to catch its breath.

Finally the girls (and boy) we were all there to see — Dianas — made their way to the stage. Beautiful vocal harmonies, driving rhythms and intricate guitar together laid a beautiful dreamy scene. Moloney and Pavlovic showed their versatility by swapping instruments back and forth throughout the set. Although they're quite a simple act and their harmonies could be dismissed as mere simple pop, as the songs progress an almost dark and foreboding feeling develops in the listener. Sweet, yet dangerous at the same time.