Live Review: India Nine 9, Apollo's Attic, Highway Breakdown, Anti Climax, Sly Withers

Gignition launched with a bang with young up and coming indie-rock band Sly Withers. The four-piece hit the stage with a euphoric blend of musical bliss ranging from '60s pop punk to '90s grunge, and with their motley style and contagious stage presence they had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand.

With garage rock in its purest form, Anti Climax graced the stage. They had a blast and we know that's what it's about: the passion, the love of music. The real highlight of Gignition though was Perth rock band Highway Breakdown. Lead singer Clayton Brown was a sight to be seen on centre stage, showing an amazing range of vocals from sombre, throaty verses to screaming crescendos. Highway Breakdown had the Railway Hotel pumping with hypnotic guitar riffs, chunky bass and catchy beats that are influenced by greats such as Pearl Jam and Black Sabbath while still being able to connect to the intimate setting with a rhythmic bluesy undertone in honour of the great Gary Clark, Jr.

The bar was set high for the next act, rockers Apollo's Attic, but it was easily matched when they presented the audience with what they like to call “salad rock”. Their eclectic mix of sounds took us on our very own space odyssey, with spine-chilling guitar riffs and haunting lyrics. The macabre mix of effects and sounds had a neverending feeling of melancholy while simultaneously leaving you smiling like a maniac. Lyrically they have a message and they use their words wisely, limited but powerfully image-provoking. Rounding out the night on a high note were Perth's very own India nine 9. Drawing on the cultural roots of Irish folk music, the group set out to create a set of music that was an artistic mix of acoustic folk foundations blended with modern pop-rock. Taking inspiration from bands such as Mumford & Sons and The Beatles, lead singer Peter took the vocals to another level with the voice of an angel, while the band amped up the last of the crowd with upbeat melodies and a truly uniquely modern sound.