Live Review: Boom! Bap! Pow!, The Little Lord Street Band, The Dirt Walkers, Command A Panda, Small Batch Audio

It was nice to see so many people out for Friday High 5 at the Indi Bar to see a killer line-up of local acts.

First up was Small Batch Audio, a two-piece act whose beautifully dark and brooding sound filled the Indi Bar, teasing just how well the night was going to go. If you haven’t seen these guys yet, go and check them out.

Command A Panda was next up on stage and another two-piece that sounded larger than life. They brought their signature panda heads (promising that they had been sprayed with Glen 20). Again, this is a band that you really need to check out if you haven’t seen them yet. They always put on an excellent show and leave you with a smile on your face and make it almost impossible to stand still while they are on.

The Dirt Walkers took the Indi Bar on a different journey with their trippy psych, alt-pop-rock sounds and almost ethereal vocals. While their sound was definitely different to the first two acts, they fit nicely into the eclectic line-up.

Perth’s favourite country act, The Little Lord Street Band had people up and dancing whether they were into country music or not. Their dynamic stage presence affected the crowd, bending our emotions at will with their songs (and banter).

The headliners, Boom! Bap! Pow! had the room packed out and even had a couple over from Sydney who had been hell-bent on seeing them live. Once again, they effortlessly proved to everyone there why they have been one of Perth’s best live acts for over ten years.

Lead singer Novac Bull had the audience transfixed from the moment she walked out on stage. By the time they played Suit, everyone was up and dancing - it’s impossible to stand still during a Boom! Bap! Pow! show. In fact, the only bad thing about their set is that you know it has to come to an end.

While the line-up for Friday High 5 may have appeared a bit strange on paper, in reality, every band on the bill perfectly complemented each other and led everyone there on a journey through rock'n'roll, blues, country and soul. With massive smiles plastered on our faces, what better way to start the weekend, right?