Live Review: Sweetdog Records, Sweetdog Sounds II

Opening the night for local label Bruno Sweetdog Records’ Sweetdog Sounds II was Fremantle’s Yaqui Yeti.

This one-man band blew away the first influx of people with his folk-rock-blues style and really warmed up the atmosphere of the outdoor stage with his eclectic mix of songs, heavily influenced by David Bowie, Elvis, Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed. Next on the lineup was Perth band Marmmalade, assaulting the audience with an animalistic drum intro, the dynamic bass drum reverberating through the room. Their frontman and lead guitarist shocked the audience into silence with his husky, soul-shattering vocals; when he hit those high notes and dropped off into a grungy whisper it was truly a magical moment. Marmmalade were certainly a hard act to follow, each song leading into the next with the crowd not knowing whether to applaud or continue to listen in rapture.

Methyl Ethel was next on the line-up, and it took a while before the crowd realised that he was not just tuning his guitar but had actually already started his otherworldly performance. The ghost-like lyrics and whale-like calling sounds mixed to produce a most unusual and mind-opening musical experience. Indie quartet

Childsaint provided a tenacious, in-your-face performance while layering an angelic and saintly soundscape of vocals, which really had the crowd mesmerised.

Blackmilk was next to hit the stage and they did so with the bravado that only a psychedelic-rock band can. Their stage presence was intense and their sound was almost indescribable, chaotic and brutal while simultaneously giving off an air of elegance and ease. The musical collective produced a wall of sound that teetered on the edge of chaos and genius.

Indie-punk-rock band Rag N Bone was next, lead singer Kira contorting her body as she belted out mind-blowing vocals. Lead guitarist Axle, who seemed to be possessed by something, be it spiritual or chemical, was a sight to be seen as he wailed along with his screaming guitar riffs accompanied by bassist Sara, who played on a planet of her own as she grooved to her sexy, aggressive bass lines. Punk band Aborted Tortoise were up next with their old-school punk mix of tunes influenced by Ramones, Dead Kennedys and Dick Dale. Dukes Of Porn lightened the evening with interesting outfit choices to compliment their rock style. 

Hideous Sun Demons are the new Perth band to look out for. With their new-wave, post-punk style and their lead singer and guitarist’s unadulterated stage performance, they were the definite highlight of the evening. To close out the night, The Floors encapsulated a perfectly mixed combination of old-school blues whilst propelling the audience into a new era of music with their raw powerhouse of sinister melodies and lyrics that demands Perth’s attention.