Live Review: DZ Deathrays, Clowns, These New South Whales, Boat Show

It's just another Friday night, but down at Brisbane's ex-aircraft hangar The Triffid, Perth's Boat Show are already on stage, delivering a hypnotically anguished set. Blasting into Argue, Cis White Boy and Toxic, frontwoman Ali Flintoff keeps the early punters entertained with her neurotic stage presence.

It feels like a headliner's already taken to the stage. The lights dim and then strobes light up the space. Suddenly, as lead singer Jamie Timony drops his voice down an octave, he begins to chant "These New South Whales" before slamming it into a loop, with the rest of the band accompanying this incredible theme. Bursting into We Don't Need You Anymore, the crowd erupts and starts swinging their arms. The best part of their set kicks in as Timony tells a story about his day and as a crowd member heckles him. Timony screams out a loud and harsh, "Shut the fuck up!" Undoubtedly, the entire band use their set to prove they aren't a band to be screwed around with. Finishing with You Work for Us and Cholesterol Heart (God Bless Ya), there's a deafening sense of complete fulfilment this early on in the night.

Clowns take the stage next to deliver some musical familiarities accompanied by fast tempos, echoing guitars and fast-paced vocals. The crowd seem to almost deplete their energy within the ever-growing moshpit. It's a mess of absolute destruction, but it's a beautiful mess and it's the perfect bridging set to get ready for what's about to hit.

Again, the lights dim to almost black and, as the starting riff of Shred For Summer's thrown on a loop, the DZ Deathrays duo of Shane Parsons and Simon Ridley - plus touring guitarist Lachlan Ewbank - jump out on stage. As Parsons howls into the high-pitched yell of this opening track, the entirety of the crowd lights up in excitement, and suddenly it's both exhilarating and dangerous to stand remotely close to the security barrier.

Following with tracks Less Out Of Sync, Bad Influence and Guillotine, Parsons consistently keeps the crowd entertained, including brief pauses to clap and engage the packed-out audience. Barely into the set, you can already see the sweat dripping down the three boys' faces.

Calming down a notch with Northern Lights, there's a big crowd response to every extended "woah!" of the track. Then enter the familiar opening riff of Like People. While the star of this song's accompanying music video, Murray Cook, isn't in attendance, a few punters still rock a classic hot potato dance.

If the crowd in't already grooving, then they are for the band's huge closer, Pollyanna; even the upstairs balcony sees people climbing over each other going wild. If there's ever a band that can always impress a crowd, it's DZ Deathrays.