Live Review: The Flower Drums, Greyjoy, Dianas, Leure

The Bird was already hectic when Leure hit the stage with her electric guitar and ethereal voice. First support is a difficult spot when you consider the initial Saturday night buzz and chatter one is bound to encounter in a Northbridge bar. Her voice was unfortunately lost somewhat under the murmur of the crowd but her talent was definitely recognisable and hypnotising.

The infectious surf-pop from Dianas followed Leure with their consistent, addictive bass drum. The talent of this group was undeniable as Caitlin Moloney and Nathalie Pavlovic swapped back and forth between bass and electric guitar throughout their 30-minute set. Dianas received a great response from the crowd with their positive messy element and rustic harmonies.

The stage was already warm by the time Greyjoy arrived and lifted the atmosphere further. They had a definite fan base in the crowd as groups of people hummed and cheered appreciatively. Greyjoy only debuted as a five-piece in June of this year at the WAMI Saturday Spectacular, not a long time when you consider their solidity on stage and obvious camaraderie.

The Bird had sold out early in the night as people rolled in in anticipation for The Flower Drums and the launch of their EP, Suburban Wilderness. They have formed an evidently large fan base in Perth since their emergence onto the scene a short year ago. Although their career is still in its early stages, their abilities on stage on Saturday were far from infantile as their soft folk and '60s style pop beats were reminiscent of some early Beach House songs. The excellent songwriting was underlined by the earthy vocal tones of front-man Leigh Craft. A shout-out from The Flower Drums to Fat Shan Records was something that was echoed throughout the fans of local music in the room, and indeed with fans of Perth music in general. Chris Healing and the boys at Fat Shans openly promote local music and even stock releases in their shop for free. Their contribution to a thriving Perth music scene in a short time is immense and a sold-out event such as this one is a testament to their work.