Rolling Blackouts Coastal FeverOn an unseasonably wet night, there was plenty of fire within the reassuringly familiar confines of Mojos, a venue that deservedly commands much reverence in the Perth music scene.
Local quartet The Spunloves had a pretty tight crew of loyal fans up front and plenty of interested onlookers who soon got swept up by their muscly, driving set of tunes. Tracks such as Slow-mo were dispensed with high energy and there was plenty of structural diversity to get lost in. There were lengthy build-ups mixed in with jangly, melodic pop, and it was clear by the end that they'd made a significant impression on the crowd and set a raucous scene for the headliners to dive into.
A band whose stocks have risen quite sharply of late with the release of their French Press EP, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever confronted a crowd that was bustling with anticipation. Slick with the form that comes from a heavy touring schedule, they split the night open with a fizzing version of Clean Slate and didn't break stride until set's end.
Tracks pulled from their latest EP received the most buoyant response but there was quality in spades throughout - this is a band that has significant strengths in the form of multiple vocalists and cracking melodies and there seems no end to their ability to conjure memorable, discrete passages within tracks. Julie's Place was absolutely euphoric, its irresistible chorus galvanizing a crowd that was growing looser by the minute.
The title track from French Press was saved until the end and unleashed with great passion, the band's five members bobbing along in unison as shared vocal responsibilities delivered additional points of interest. With a fairly light catalogue to pick from, there's little doubt that Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever would be delivering similar, if not identical, sets night after night, but you never get the impression that there's even a whiff of complacency setting in.
As they continue to write and record and add to an armory of already excellent songs, there's no doubt they'll pick up a massive number of new fans along the way.
