Live Review: Sunnyboys, DM3

“Nice guys do play rock’n’roll!” is what this reviewer’s plus one said regarding the opening band’s set, and he definitely hit the nail on the head.

Nineties group DM3 were safe and inoffensive, but they played fun and catchy, good ol’ fashioned Aussie rock (final track, One Time Two Times Three Red Light, was a set highlight), and the crowd couldn’t have asked for more. After all, they were all there to relive their younger days when Sunnyboys were a staple in the Australian rock scene of the 1980s and they were having the time of their lives. Props to the old dude at the front who looked just about ready to propel himself over the barrier and join the group on stage, such was his obvious love for the band.

A visual presentation began to screen on the stage’s backdrop and excerpts from various interviews from the headlining band – both recent and older – were heard through the speakers. Catching phrases like “It’s good to be back” heaped on the anticipation, before Sunnyboys made their way to the stage to a roar only a sold-out crowd could achieve.

The band launched into Love To Rule to huge delight. “Hey Perth, how are you all doin’?” Jeremy Oxley asked, before My Only Friend and Trouble In My Brain, from the band’s 1981 self-titled debut album really got the nostalgic vibes working. Throughout the show crowd members turned to each other with that look of recognition, that “Ahhhhh, yeah, this takes me back!” look – it was a sight to behold. The band themselves seemed to be having just as much fun.

Guitarist Richard Burgman did most of the talking through the night, continually thanking the crowd, and he couldn’t have been happier playing in the outdoor setting on “such a warm night, with the beautiful full moon shining down on us”.

After playing for about an hour, the band thanked the crowd once more and left for about 30 seconds, before making their way back to play a track it was blatantly obvious they’d purposely missed – their biggest track, Alone With You – which had the collective crowd putting their best groove moves on display. It would’ve been the perfect way to end the set, but after leaving once more, the band then came back again to play two more tracks. It didn’t matter, the crowd still lapped it up. It was hard to know what to expect from the boys on their first headlining show in Perth since 1984(!), but they delivered, and did so brilliantly.