Live Review: Sean O'Neill, Rabbit Island, Solar Barge, Ivory Wolf

Kicking the evening off with a Bon Iver cover, solo artist Ivory Wolf's vocals were reminiscent of Bombay Bicycle Club, and with some beautiful acoustic guitar braved a sparse early room to warm up the icy evening. Solar Barge (Seams' Lyndon Blue) then came on stage dressed in a full-length embellished navy kaftan, with an orange bandana around his mouth and a Egyptian mask across his eyes, all leading to the expectation of a bizarre set to suit the costume. But no, Blue was brilliant. The use of a Roland Handsonic added a welcome 'world music' feel to his progressive instrumental electronic tunes. The set was seamless, complex and unlike anything I have ever heard. The final support act for the night, each Rabbit Island performance is different to the last in its line-up, set list, and improvisation, making for very fresh experimental beats. Led by Perth songstress Amber Fresh, supported by a continually changing list of local and interstate musicians, there were a few hiccups along the way but the band's beautiful melodies alongside Fresh's gentle vocals distorted into amazing psychedelic dimensions.

Sean O'Neill has been regularly seen as frontman of Hang On St Christopher, but tonight he was simply Sean for the launch of his debut solo EP Moving In Time. O'Neill's music is often compared to, once again, Bon Iver, and for good reason; the melancholic music evokes nature and often builds to emotive, layered crescendos. Its intangible melody swirls around you like a fierce wind, a mash of cymbals and horns, beats and riffs. It picks you up and carries you with it for a while before gently placing you back on the ground; only then do you realise the journey you have been on. Halfway through the set O'Neill took to the stage solo to perform a competent cover and his original EP title track Moving In Time before the energy lifted again as the band rejoined him for a final song.

The local music scene regularly impresses, and tonight genuinely blew me away thanks to four unique acts not afraid to push boundaries, leaving their audiences awestruck.