Kicking off their Snakeskin tour at Capitol, the phenomenal pulling power of hometown heroes Gyroscope cannot be ignored. And as the up-and-coming Perth act Love You Not took the stage, the venue was unusually packed by punters at that early point of the evening. This was also worth noting considering that Sugar Army, Harlequin League and The Silents were performing at Amplifier just next door.

Luckily for the seething masses, Love You Not turned out a charming performance that showcased material from their early 2007 EP, The Urgency, as well as tracks from their newly-recorded debut album. Acoustically based pop-rock has never sounded so good. This is definitely a band for Perth to be proud of and get behind in the coming months.

Melbournians Horsell Common also played to an ever-increasing crowd, and that can’t be attributed to the crowd-pulling power of Gyro alone. The three-piece outfit have made a name for themselves around the country for their energetic sound and tight live shows. Saturday was no different, with the lads delivering a hi-octane performance to a set of loyal fans down the front and a largely appreciative audience all around. Songs from their recently released debut album The Rescue and their various EPs released over the years went down a treat with the highly excitable crowd, the hands-down favourites being Everlasting and Royal Artillery.

Finally, Gyroscope took the stage to thunderous applause and ear-splitting shrieks. They opened with the first single off their highly anticipated forthcoming album Breed Obsession, and the namesake of the tour, Snakeskin. Already a favourite thanks to the band’s Myspace pimping, the crowd has clearly warmed to the track, which is a satisfying blend of the old Sound Shattering Sound material and the newer, more melodic Are You Involved? style.

The opener was quickly followed up with Dream vs Scream and Fast Girl, before the boys launched into impressive renditions of the older sensations Midnight Express, Take This for Granted and Driving for the Storm. Another new effort, These Days was welcomed by the crowd, which was steadily growing in erratic and frenzied behaviour. It’s a sure sign that you’re a dickhead when a band member tells you to stop invading the stage or he will personally take you out. Nevertheless, Gyro played on despite way too many stage invasions, helped largely by the tireless efforts of their roadie to maintain order and sound.

Another three songs from Are You Involved? – Slow Dance, Mistakes & Ladders and Beware Wolf – came, and another newie, Okay, was introduced. The new material is definitely crowd-pleasing, and Breed Obsession will most likely be flying off the shelves come the release later in the year.

Hollow Like Cheyenne and the always popular crowd singalong Safe Forever rounded off the set, before the band popped back for a three-song encore, made up of the softly powerful Raindrops sandwiched between the electrifying Don’t Look Now, But I Think I’m Sweating Blood and the cracking Doctor, Doctor. Handshakes all around and the boys left the stage, clearly pleased with the success of the evening.

Anyone would think Daniel Johns had attended this gig before making his speech at the ARIAs on Sunday. “How good is Australian music?” indeed, Mr Johns? Anyone who attended this show will be able to attest to the strength and ‘goodness’ demonstrated by these champions of the local Australian music scene.