Ah Perth. How much you still have to learn about the quality of music in your own
backyard. > Sure we’ve got some relatively high
profile groups out there now: Jebediah; Eskimo Joe; Little Birdy; The Panics; End of
Fashion; Sleepy Jackson. Bands consistently receiving high rotation on Triple J – PLUS
increasing spinnage on some of the more commercial stations about town. Bands that
are indicative of what I term the “Perth-sound”. You know the one – that la-dee-dah pop.
The simple song structure. Verse-hook-chorus-verse-hook-chorus. Indie guitars. High-
pitched girlish vocals. >

But there isn’t just one Perth-sound peoples – despite what your favourite radio
stations, street-mags and video-hits-style programs would have you believe. Scratch the
surface Perthites. Scratch it now. You’ll find something down there. Bubbling and
brothing just below the surface. A rich deep well of vibrant electronica. Swelling.
Bulging. Pushing at the skin. Itching to burst like an over-ripe pimple. Exploding over
our chins in a warm flood of fluidy goodness. Artists like Fdel, Pendulum, Thread and the
Downsyde crew. Great local acts making great local music and skirting the verge of
major public interest.

You can add several more names to that listing: Life Project; Electric Limousine and
the Resonance. Three emerging acts linked by collaborations with local promoters Deuce
and who – by some cosmic coincidence of chance – all lined up together at the
Rosemount Hotel on this particular evening, Wednesday 27 July. I’d been itching to see
these groups live ever since I’d heard their excellent yet varying contributions to the
very impressive Deuce compilation – Jigsaw. > Circumstances, happenstances and an all-
pervading laziness having so far prevented me – but not tonight!

The gig itself: Proceedings themselves kicked off with an ambient downbeat DJ set
from HiRO? aka Patrick Giles – composer-producer-extraordinaire and one half of the
“Life Project” project. Unfortunately my terrible tardiness cost me any chance to
experience this – though by all accounts it was more than a little bitching. When I
eventually did slink in – making a none too transparent bee-line for the bar – Electric
Limousine were just beginning to strut their funky stuff. Looking resplendent in their
skinny ties and assorted retro-wear, the Limousines at times came on like a Depeche
Mode/Joy Division tribute act but really shone when the microphone was handed to their
impish little front lady. Their sound is the oft-replicated electro-pop but with much better
vocal delivery. Closing their set with the sexy Blissfull Intervention from the Deuce
compilation brought a warming glow to the cheeks of this particular inthemix reviewer.

Next up were the headlining Life Project. Comprising the aforementioned
wunderkind HiRO? plus vocalist Angie Giles (HiRO?’s aunty for those who like to know the
lot). Opening with their own Deuce compilation contribution – Me & My Tribe – it’s fair to
say imprisoning their sound on a little synthetic disc in no way does them justice. Their
live act is quite breath-taking. Giles’ powerful vocals swoop, soar and soothe in turn.
One moment a glorious hum and whisper – the next a rising wail to blow your heart, mind
and ear-holes as one. And all the while the ever-energetic, ever-entertaining, ever-
passionate HiRO? fiddles, twiddles and dances behind his little magic-suitcase – bearing
his shiny sparkly moniker. If you’ve never caught a HiRO? live performance before –
then do. In addition to his obvious musical abilities he is the consummate showman.
Bopping. Bouncing. Pumping his fists in the air. Imploring you to feel the vibe in the
same special way that he can. It’s hard not to be swept up by his obvious energy and
enthusiasm. Life Project play a live set at Geisha on Friday 26 August. I recommend
you give them a gander.

Closing things out – in the live performance sense – were The Resonance. A three-
way-vocal-free-for-all over a bitching sonic D’n’B wall. Another mightily impressive act
who must surely be going places. Rebecca Brennan, Leanne Cole and Jono McNeil
provide the voice to the beats and meaty bowel-quivering bass lines of Trilby Temperley
(brother of Eskimo Joes’ Kav). Unfortunately for yours truly my fave tune Afraid of the
Dark didn’t get a guernsey tonight – but I will for sure be checking these guys multiple
times in the future.

Linking things together for the evening was the ever-developing DJ Random
Selektion (or Random Skeleton as he is known in more dyslexic circles – I myself call
him Mr Randy Skeleton – but never to his face). Like Perth’s answer to Freq Nasty with
his impressive mane of ginger dreads – his filler-sets included some impressively eclectic
mixing choices. From Hip Hop to Gary Numan to Glockenspiel. One never knows what
sonic delicacy will be served up next. >

All in all a night of great tunes and vibes. The major disappointment of the evening
being the turn-out – maybe fifty people at the max. Not one of them shaking their rump
on the ample dance floor. There WERE a couple of big gigs on that same night – Queens
of the Stone Age and Athlete. Yet I’m sure the Scotsman was still packed to bursting.
Shame on you Scotto people. Naughty Scotto people. Bad. This was a gig custom-
made for those trend-setters amongst you…
“I used to be into that band way back before they were famous…”
“I was watching them when they were still playing little LOCAL gigs..”
“I used to like them.. before everyone else started liking them..”
Get out there and support your local produce peoples. You’re sure to find a flavour that
will suit your own particular tastes. And if you can find a copy of the Deuce presents
Jigsaw compilation CD – snap it up forthwith.

Peace out.