Live Review: RTR Radiothon The Bird

RTRFM's major fundraiser Radiothon is back once again to help keep the station running, and Saturday evening was the perfect opportunity to witness some of Perth's best talent, with the Opening Party spread across four venues in Northbridge. Post the acoustic arvo acts, The Bird kicked things off with electronic solo artist Leure, who provided the small but very appreciative early crowd with some haunting, hypnotic vocals mixed in with some minimalistic but very effective beats. Next up, with the audience still small, Davey Craddock & The Monacle delivered a strong set consisting of some powerful and beautiful folk-drenched numbers, which seemed to fit the relaxed atmosphere at this venue perfectly. Dashing over to Ya Ya's and masters of the rock'n'roll craft The Painkillers supplied the healthy crowd with some raw vocals and trebly guitar tones. With the streets of Northbridge gradually winding up, Pica Bar was exceptionally quiet as DJ Mama Cass hit the decks. As always, her set was full of catchy beats which she delivered in style, but it was a shame that there were only a few punters present to enjoy it. Back over to The Bird, the room was packed as Kit Pop took over the same decks he destroyed the night before at the same venue to mark the end of his Paper Chain label. As expected, the crowd lapped up his high voltage set. Next up, Kučka gave one of the highlight performances of the evening. Laura Jane Lowther's vocals were captivating and complemented the ambient electronics as well as the heavy bass brilliantly, providing a beautiful, melancholic darkness for the crowd to be submerged in. To Ya Ya's again, and recently relocated three-piece punk outfit The Spitfires charged up the loyal crowd with some chaotic but incredibly catchy guitar lines. From there it was off to Pica where Craig Hollywood was showcasing his house beats to an under-appreciative crowd who seemed to treat the tunes like background noise; a shame, as it would have been great music to dance to. Meanwhile at The Bird, as people were still pushing through the doors, Diger Rokwell launched straight into his set. The flawless delivery of his rich and ambient numbers certainly was a highlight of the night, and the audience thankfully used the opportunity (space permitting) to have a bit of a dance. Following Rokwell's set, Cow Parade Cow was next to grace the stage with one of the most interesting sets of the night. The band delivered their incredibly wacky, summery tunes, which fitted the warm vibe of the venue perfectly. Back to Ya Ya's once more and The Novocaines had the crowd almost falling over backwards, unleashing an energy-fuelled performance of grungy punk that was most fitting of the headline slot. Finally, Umpire performed as the last act of the evening at The Bakery to the biggest crowd of the night. Their light, breezy indie pop set provided a supreme end to an evening of fantastic performances by WA's finest.