Live Review: Rebuilding Love: A Good Buddies Fundraiser For Joni And Toby

While Fringe festivalgoers were swarming Northbridge, over at Badlands Bar local musicians banded together to deliver a night full of good vibes and great music in an effort to raise money for beloved Perth duo Joni Hogan (singer/songwriter of the incredible Joni In The Moon) and Toby Mack after their family home was tragically destroyed by a raging fire.

All funds taken on the night were going directly to help the pair replace items taken in the fire including instruments, clothes, food and toys for their children. It was a beautiful example of the Perth music community coming together to help out their own when they've fallen on hard times.

Dimity Magnus and Rodney Aravena from She Leaves The Mountain started off the night playing to a small-but-loyal crowd before Peter Bibby played a great solo set with Magnolia's Late Night Live host Tristan Fidler and Matt Aitken MC-ing between sets and keeping the mood light and funny.

Armed only with a laptop, her voice and a bunch of groove-samples, Mei Saraswati delivered an effortless performance of sample- and groove-heavy tunes that she fired off while layering her smooth, rich vocals.

Three-piece Usurper Of Modern Medicine spent some time sound-checking their equipment including the large Moog analog synthesiser and midi controller. The band launched into their first track, with a small crowd gathering at the front as the lead singer/bassist Steven Aaron Hughes let rip on his bass guitar and drummer Cameron Hines kept the rhythm rolling. Hines, caught up in the excitement, lost his sticks at one point but recovered quickly. At one point Hughes announced that the GoFundMe account set up for Joni and Toby had raised over $17,000 to a round of applause from the crowd.

The dancefloor grew exponentially by the time The Last Fair Deal came on, playing a blistering set of blues and R&B covers of before The Weapon Is Sound arrived sometime around midnight to keep the party going until the early hours of the morning.

You can donate to the cause here.