Live Review: Tim Rogers & The Bamboos, Felicity Groom

It was a dreary wet kind of Saturday night for the punters at the Rosemount Hotel but that didn’t stop the venue from making the most of all three main areas. Two simultaneous gigs ran alongside a filled beer garden, uncharacteristic of Perth’s typical stay-at-home attitude that seems to come out with the slightest hint of rain. Given the loud punk rock competition in the next room, the bands in the main room had no trouble making noise and creating a commanding presence. 

First up were Felicity Groom and her rag-tag band of rebels. Opening with an ethereal, atmospheric soundscape, they launched into a set of eerie and mysterious grooves, forlorn vocal melodies and a dash of audience participation. Coupled with a few instrument swaps to showcase the talents of the musicians, Groom and company left the Rosemount punters well and truly warmed up. 

It was late in the evening by the time Tim Rogers & The Bamboos took to the stage, the charismatic frontman flawlessly delivering a soulful, Otis Redding-like vibe amidst the hard-hitting, heavy grooves of the peerless soul act. Rogers practically flew on stage, greeting the anticipation of the crowds with a wave of his hand, saying “With the Bamboos, you cannot lose!” Red flower in his lapel and matching bow tie, Rogers was certainly dressed for the occasion and brought his A-game. 

Raucous wailing vocals, lazy horn lines, creamy organ and a rhythm section that was indefatigable laced the rest of the night in a set that left the audience wanting more.  

Neatly tying in a bit of promo for the new album, Rogers announced that, on this evening, there were three ‘rules of attraction’ — “You gotta dress up, you gotta show up, and you gotta give it up.” The audience certainly did as vocalist Kylie Auldist took centre stage, the perfect addition to any self-respecting soul outfit. 

The instrumentalists were not forgotten either, each taking a healthy helping of spotlight, showcasing their improvisational abilities, which were formidable to say the least. 

After a full instrumental sweep of the stage, Rogers reemerged with a costume change. This time donning a gold suit, Rogers armed himself with a pair of maracas, devoted to keeping everyone dancing. 

“Come on, ya fuckin’ Sandgropers!” he said as the Bamboos brought it home, finishing with a highly demanded encore.